The British Reformation
by kb0
Summary: After Sirius dies, Harry is isolated and feels betrayed by everyone who's been around him recently and leaves to figure out what he should do. An "old friend" is sent to look after him and try to bring him back. Together they search for a way to kill a Dark Lord and maybe fix society too.
1. Betrayed

**Title:** The British Reformation  
**Rating:** PG-15, Some non-explicit sexual situations  
**Pairing:** Harry/Fleur  
**Summary:** After Sirius dies, Harry is isolated and feels betrayed by everyone who's been around him recently and leaves to figure out what he should do. An "old friend" is sent to look after him and try to bring him back. Together they search for a way to kill a Dark Lord and maybe fix society too.  
(**A/N:** This story start just after book 5 ends; it's A/U so things will change from books 6 & 7 and characterizations will be different. Also, Harry _is not_ a Horcrux. At the start of book 6 Bill and Fleur have just become engaged, indicating they dated all of the year before. In this universe, Bill spent the last year trying to get Fleur to date him and they just recently started. This plot bunny has escaped from my hard drive after nearly 2 years, I hope you enjoy. - Kevin)  
(**A/N2:** This chapter was beta'd by DJ. Unfortunately, I've lost touch with him since we started this, so I've decided to start posting "as is" in order to get it out. That means this story may be a little "rougher" than normal … I hope you don't mind. Then again, it's not like you're paying anything for this. :-)  
**Disclaimer: **The HP universe, characters, books, etc belong to someone commonly known as JKR and probably some corporations too. Anything that looks like hers is; the plot is about all that's mine.

* * *

**The British Reformation**

**Chapter 1 - Betrayed**

(Fri, 28 Jun 1996)

Harry almost dropped his trunk in his room. The memory of Vernon's warning to him to be unseen and unheard in exchange for being left alone was the only thing that stopped him and caused him to gently set it in the closet before silently dropping onto his old worn-out bed. The Order of the Phoenix had not done him any favors by trying to scare his relatives into good behavior, despite their good intentions. So he lay there in his continuing gloom from the last few days, considering what he had done to get Sirius killed.

Somewhere in his head he knew he wasn't the only one responsible, or even the main person responsible for his godfather's death, but he knew as sure as he knew his own name that he had played a large part and that he could have prevented the whole thing if he had only tried a little harder.

He could have demanded answers from some of the adults around him. He could have opened the present from Sirius. If he'd really been serious about it all, he realized he could have just gone back to Umbridge's office after she was left in the forest and then used the Floo in her office and arrived at the Ministry before it was late night and when there was Auror help available. He knew he could have tried harder at Occlumency too, as well as other things he probably hadn't come up with yet.

At least his relatives hadn't given him a list of chores upon their immediate arrive at "home", as they had done in years past.

Closing his eyes, he fell into a fitful sleep, one that did him little good.

* * *

(Fri, 5 Jul)

A thinner and bleary-eyed Harry crumpled up the parchment and angrily tossed it at the wastebasket to join the other very few useless responses he'd received from his "friends" over the last week. Sitting down on his bed, he ran his fingers through his hair and considered the situation again.

He'd written Ron and Hermione twice now and received replies that barely hit three lines. There wasn't a word on what was going on in the outside world; they had completely ignored his questions about that and even hinted they wouldn't tell him anyway for the same reasons as last summer. True, he hadn't shared the prophecy with them yet so they didn't understand his urgency, but why couldn't they have had the decency to write meaningful correspondence? This was so like last summer it hurt.

His letter to Ginny had been unanswered as of yet. That hurt a little, but he had just started to develop that friendship this last year, so if she was a little slow in answering, he didn't blame her too much. Neville and Luna had answered him once each and the best so far with a decent length letter, but even they didn't have much to say about the current news that he wanted to know so badly. Luna was about to leave for most of the summer as well, cutting off that avenue of information.

It was all so maddening.

Hedwig gave him a quiet hoot, causing him to look up at her. He couldn't forget her, as she was his most faithful friend. So he got up and rummaged in his trunk for the owl treats and spread what was left on his desk before feeding one to a happier Hedwig. His feathered friend mollified, he laid down on the bed and closed his eyes. Feelings of despair continued to wash over him as they had for the last week, only he wasn't sure if he cared anymore.

Should he care, he asked himself as meaningless images played on the inside of his eyelids. No one else seemed to, not even Dumbledore. The old wizard had told him he knew Harry was going to grow up in dark times at his aunt's house, hadn't protected him against all the woes he faced at school (that most other students could ignore or didn't need to endure), had ignored him all year, hadn't done a thing to prepare him to deal with the prophecy, and was probably the cause of his closest friends ignoring him (Hermione's last note had hinted at that).

The fact that no one in the bloody Order had made the slightest effort to contact him since the train station did not escape him, and that caused him to wonder if he could trust any of them.

When he considered it all, he wasn't sure why he even tried. Maybe it'd be better if he died, he thought morosely, as then he could be with his parents and Sirius.

His stomach rumbled again from having eaten very little since he'd returned back to Privet Drive. He hadn't felt like eating and his aunt hadn't tried to make him to eat, leaving him in his room. After a few more minutes, Harry slipped into a deep sleep as his magic tried to protect him.

* * *

(Sun, 7 Jul)

Hermione watched Ginny stare at her angrily while the brunette dithered over what to do. It had been Hermione that had caught Ginny trying to send Harry a long letter and brought it to Molly Weasley's attention. Deep down, Hermione knew she should have written Harry a long letter herself, but the Headmaster had come to her personally and told her it would be in Harry's best interest as far as safety was concerned, to not be stressed with news and to give him time to deal with Sirius's death.

There was no doubt Harry had not been dealing well with Sirius's death before they left school. He had been quiet and sullen, even for him. Still, she considered herself one of his best friends and wondered if this was the best course of action. Only the Headmaster's heart-felt request had caused her to follow this path.

Another forced breath with flaring nostrils from the redhead across the room from her made her wonder if there was something she should be doing about this. After arriving home and explaining this year to her parents, they had agreed that she could spend Monday through Friday with her friends at the hidden house for her safety, but they did want to see her on the weekends, even if that forced them to spend the time in a hotel somewhere so Hermione didn't have to go home, which was the plan. How did her life get so crazy, she wondered.

The brunette also wondered if Neville and Luna were following Dumbledore's orders, like everyone in this house. If only one of them didn't follow the communication blackout, then what the rest did wouldn't matter. The idea that Dumbledore wouldn't think to tell Neville and Luna not to write didn't occur to her.

Returning to the book in front of her, Hermione tried to work on her summer reading. Another angry mutter caused her to start the paragraph over, although a small part of her wondered what Ginny was planning. Hermione decided that Mrs Weasley had been wise to restrict all the owls, including Ron's Pigwidgeon, to the kitchen and away from the emotional girl.

* * *

(Thu, 11 Jul)

Remus Lupin walked into the kitchen of #12 Grimmauld Place and wearily sat down. The Weasleys were all there, as was Hermione Granger, Alastor "Mad-eye" Moody, and Nymphadora Tonks. As he grabbed a plate to help himself to dinner, he asked the unusually quiet bunch, "Has anyone received an owl from Harry lately?" Several heads shook.

"No," Ginny answered a little angrily and with accusing glances at several people, including her mother. "It's hard to get an answer from someone when you can't write them."

"Ginny, we've been over this many times," her mother said tiredly. "Please let it go. We're only following the Headmaster's instructions."

Ginny changed the topic. "If you haven't heard from him in over three days, are you going to go over and check on him like you said you would?"

Lupin slowly shook his head despite her stare to try to force him to say yes. "The Headmaster forbade it and turned our threat into a bluff." When Ginny gave a derisive snort for that answer, he mentally agreed with her, but he wasn't going to go against the Headmaster at his time. However, if there was another week of silence, he might.

The silence that followed the mini-debate was broken as Hedwig flew into the room, causing everyone to look hopeful. To the group's surprise, Hedwig carried no letter and as the predator she was, she swooped down over the table, snatched up a chicken leg in her talons, and left back out the window - never landing.

"What the bloody hell?" Ron hoarsely whispered as the group blinked and tried to figure out just what that meant. "Maybe this is like the second summer when Harry was locked up, but this time Hedwig is locked out of the house and he can't feed her."

"If Harry is no longer able to feed Hedwig, I think that means he's in trouble and we need to go check on him," Ginny said boldly.

Arthur noisily cleared his throat. "I, uh, I think she might have a point."

Molly frowned at her husband. "You know the orders."

"Yes, we know the orders," Lupin agreed, his sudden hope leaving him feeling deflated, almost listless. "Still, I think I'll contact the Headmaster about this and try to convince him that Harry should be checked on."

"Why can't the watchers check on him?" Ginny asked.

"Ginny," their mother reprimanded her in an exasperated tone. "You know they're not to be seen by anyone, including Harry."

The girl shook her head in disappointment while Hermione sighed.

— — —

Hedwig flew back into the room of her owner and dropped the chicken leg on the boy's chest - a chest that was barely moving. The owl looked at the boy and tried to reason out what to do, but was stymied by her limited intellect. If he didn't move by the morning sun, she would try to get another human.

Harry was now gaunt from his week-long coma. It was only his magic that was keeping him alive - barely.

* * *

(Fri, 12 Jul)

Remus Lupin sat down for breakfast the next morning and poured himself some tea in the quiet kitchen.

"Well?" he heard demanded. Setting his cup down, he turned and saw Hermione and Ginny looking at him with concern, as well as Molly looking at her youngest child with exasperation. He also knew without a doubt exactly what Ginny was asking.

"Professor Dumbledore said to give Harry three more days and if no one has heard from him by then, he would go check on Harry."

"So Harry has to suffer for three more days before someone will go make sure the Muggles haven't done anything to him or even killed him?" Ginny asked sarcastically.

"Ginny, that's enough!" her mother told her sternly. The girl obeyed, but obviously under protest.

"He did say that Mad-Eye went by and looked in on him last night from the street and that Harry was laying on his bed, probably asleep, but yes, that's the plan," Lupin finished a little lamely.

As Molly returned to the stove to finish cooking breakfast, Hedwig once again flew into the room. This time, she circled then dove for Lupin's arm that was stretched for the eggs.

Remus Lupin had always respected animals, being one himself once a month, but his respect for owls soared to new heights as the large bird landed on his wrist and dug her talons into the tender flesh of his wrist. As he screamed in pain, Hedwig flapped her wings mightily and lifted his arm as high as his shoulder would allow it. The owl then suddenly stopped beating her wings, causing her and his arm to fall to the table, only to just as suddenly resume trying to fly and take his arm with her and causing him to scream in pain again as the talons pierced deeper.

Hermione screamed in surprise and fell back off the bench to get away from the mad owl.

Molly stared at an event she would've claimed an hour ago was impossible.

Ginny stared too, but only until Hedwig's second attempt to fly away, then her Gryffindor spirit kicked in and she launched herself at the owl. "Hedwig! Stop, Hedwig!"

The owl stopped trying to fly way, causing her and Lupin's arm to fall to the table, and turned her head almost backward to stare at the redhead and gave a piercing bark - one that sounded very urgent.

"Hedwig," Ginny said more softly now and put both hands on the sides of the owl and gently caressed it to try and calm the obviously distress animal. "What happened girl? Does Harry need us?" She received another piercing bark for an answer as the last of the Weasleys who were staying there - Bill - ran into the kitchen.

Ginny looked at Lupin, who was visibly grimacing in pain as the owl still held on. "Hedwig, if you'll let go of his arm, we'll try to help you."

Hedwig gave another piercing bark before trying to fly again, still with Lupin's arm, and then dropping back to the table.

Before anyone else could do anything, a spell shot across the room and hit the owl, causing her to stiffen completely and fall over. Ginny caught the owl as her talons ripped out of Lupin's wrist and then glared at the caster. "Bill, you shouldn't have done that," she said forcefully over Lupin's pained moans as the main grabbed a napkin to put over his bloody wounds.

"I've never seen an owl go mad before, but that one clearly was," her oldest brother said as he walked over to the injured man. "How's your arm?"

Molly finally broke out of her frozen shock and rushed over to examine Lupin as well.

Ron joined Hermione in looking at the owl cradled in Ginny's arms. "I think Bill's right, she's gone completely around the bend," he commented.

"Shut it," his sister told him, defending the owl. "Hedwig was only trying to get our attention and tell us it was urgent."

"While I wished she'd used a different method, I think I will agree with Ginny," Lupin said tightly, then winced as Molly cleaned his wounds. "As soon as I'm able, I'll contact the Headmaster and get him to go over, or I'll go over myself."

Bill walked over to look at the stiff bird and waved his wand over it a few times. "Interesting, I can't find any spell or other enchantments on it." Satisfied they were all safe, he took a seat and took a plate to get breakfast from the plates that had not been involved in the chaos a few minutes before. Ron joined him in eating, though he watched the unusual scene with interest.

When Molly finished bandaging him, Lupin gave her an appreciative look. "Thank you, Molly." The woman tsk'ed at the owl then started to clean up the mess it had caused.

Remus placed a Floo call and had his head in the fireplace for several minutes. Everyone was looking at him when he backed out and walked over to Ginny and the owl. "Hedwig," he said slowly and clearly, looking at the owl's slowly blinking eyes. "Professor Dumbledore is going over to Harry's house right now. He will check on him and help him." He felt foolish for speaking like this to an owl, but his mangled wrist was ample evidence that the owl was not a dumb beast. "If we don't know anything soon, I'll go over and check too."

As he moved to sit down, Ginny asked, "Are you going to release her?"

"I'm not sure that's wise until Harry is here," Bill replied from his seat. "Assuming that is the problem."

"Of course it's the problem," Ginny answered with exasperation as his obvious denseness. "Please?" she appealed to Lupin. "I'll hold her."

Remus slowly pulled out his wand and with careful movements because of his injured wrist, he ended the magical binding on the owl.

Hedwig barked at them and ruffled her feathers, but she didn't injure Ginny.

"That's a good owl," Ginny cooed to the animal. "We're getting Harry help. Maybe they'll even bring him here to you."

Hedwig got more excited and barked again.

"I've never seen Hedwig like this, but I think she likes that idea," Hermione said, shaking her head at the improbability of the situation.

Everyone else ate and Ginny fed the owl while they all waited as if on pins and needles.

— — —

Albus Dumbledore transfigured his robes into a solid black suit, as he'd done many times before when visiting Muggle homes. Apparating to the doorstep of the Dursley's residence, he rang the doorbell and waited, wondering why he had agreed to this fool's errand. He couldn't imagine why there would be a problem with the lad.

He did need to talk to young Harry about #12 Grimmauld Place now that Sirius was gone, but that could apparently wait since no Death Eaters had shown up. He had no doubt that Bellatrix Lastrange would have been over there the day after Sirius's death if she had been able. Since she had not, then the house and all of its wards must have transferred to Harry.

The door opened and he saw Vernon Dursley take one look at him and scowl. "I'm glad you've come to take him away. There's a smell coming from his room."

Shocked at the abrupt, rude, and alarming greeting, Dumbledore hurried into the house after the walrus-of-a-man and asked, "Where is Harry?"

"Upstairs, first door on the right," Vernon grunted, as he pointed over his shoulder with a thumb and made his way back to his favorite chair. "Be sure to clean up after him," the large man shouted at the old wizard as he hurried toward and up the stairs at his best speed.

Frowning at the three locks on the boy's door, he was encouraged to find they were not locked and hurried in. The smell of unwashed human body and something that smelled like rotting chicken almost pushed him back into the hallway. With a quick wand movement, he freshened the air with a charm and looked around the dim room, despite it being mid-morning.

There on the bed was a boy so thin, so gaunt, it hit the old wizard like a physical blow. Another wave of the wand opened the slowly flapping curtains wide and caused them to stick open and reveal all of the room. In a hurried glance, he noticed the thin layer of dust on everything, the bag of owl treats that had been ripped open with only few left on the desk, the open trunk by the closet door that looked like it had been dug through but not really unpacked, and finally an old worn bed that was still made with a thin boy lying on top - a boy that looked grayish and had a disgusting chicken leg on his chest. The chest barely moving was all that told Harry was still alive, but he didn't look like it otherwise.

"Oh my boy, what has happened?" he asked of no one with a breaking heart as he vanished the odorous chicken.

With a few waves of his wand, he packed up Harry's things into his trunk and then turned it into a Portkey, since he could leave via that method, having set up the wards at this house. Carefully, picking up the fragile looking boy, Dumbledore grabbed the handle of the trunk and was whisked away.

— — —

After receiving glares that would have killed most men from Poppy Pomfrey and almost being required to call his Phoenix familiar post-haste to flee for his life, he was assured that Harry would live before he hurried away from one danger and into another. Therefore, it was with much trepidation that Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the fireplace at #12 Grimmauld Place. Even his last battle with Tom Riddle didn't concern him as much as this morning had already and would again for the next half hour.

He was besieged with loud questions, but it was a piercing bark from an owl that stopped every human and brought silence to the room. Clearing his throat lightly, he looked right at the owl and spoke slowly and clearly. "Hedwig, Harry is being cared for and he will be fine and as good as new soon."

Hedwig gave a soft cooing hoot and spring from the table in front of Ginny; she was out the window before anyone could react, other than sigh in relief at the news.

"That's good news, Headmaster," Molly Weasley said, the first to recover her voice, "but what caused the bird to be in such distress? I've never seen one act like she did. I mean, really! She attacked Remus."

Albus nodded and motioned for everyone to sit as he took a place too. Grabbing a cup, he poured hot water for tea. "I'm afraid that Harry's owl had good reason to be concerned. I can't say how long, but Harry's magic put him in a magical coma."

Shouts of "What?" and "Huh?" stopped the explanation for a moment and let Albus steep his tea as he contemplated how to explain with the least risk to himself. As they calmed down, he decided that honesty was probably the best policy with this group - at least with the basic facts.

"I can't know what was going through Harry's mind, but it's not hard to guess that his godfather's death hit him very hard, harder than I believe anyone could have guessed, even myself. I'm not sure how long ago, but at least for a few days, Harry essentially fell asleep and never woke up. Though most people don't know it, a wizard or witch can go into a magical coma where their magic shuts down their body to the barest minimum when it's not well to try and keep it alive and hopefully heal."

"Like bears hibernate?" Lupin asked incredulously.

Dumbledore took a sip of his hot tea. "Not precisely, but close enough for this discussion."

"What's wrong with him?" Molly asked, but everyone was hanging on every word of the explanation.

"As you can guess from my explanation, he's very near the point of magical exhaustion, and that is the worst problem. Because he's been like this for at least a few days, he hasn't eaten and so he is very weak physically." He purposefully left out that Poppy Pomfrey had said the diagnosis showed he hadn't eaten for over a week and was very malnourished. "As to exactly how the situation became this way, we'll have to wait a few days for Harry to wake up and tell us." He let them all digest the news while he sipped on his tea.

"When is he going to be here?" Ginny was the first to ask, although several others nodded as they had wanted to ask the same question.

"He's at Hogwarts with Madam Pomfrey for the moment as there are only people there that I trust with my life and the castle is otherwise locked." At Ginny's stare for the non-answer, he added, "I'm not really sure when he'll be strong enough to go elsewhere, but I believe it'll be at least a few days and then I'll bring him here so that everyone may help him. I … I may have erred in leaving him alone."

"You did," Ginny said succinctly, much to the horror of her mother who looked on with wide-eyes and an open mouth for a moment.

Albus didn't bat an eye, however. "I will accept the condemnation, but it did seem like the right thing to do at the time." Taking the pain as self-punishment in addition to his self-condemnation, he hurriedly swallowed the rest of the still overly hot tea and stood. "If you will excuse me, I need to return to the school and be the guard while I do some paperwork. Remus, if you would, please pass on the message to the watchers that guard Harry's house and let them know that duty is no longer needed." To avoid further questions, he bid everyone good-bye and hurried away via the Floo network.

Ginny summed up the feelings of most as she muttered, "Stupid old men who think that locking people up and away from everyone else is supposed to help them." She hurried out of the room to go write another letter, hopeful this one would reach its intended recipient soon. Loud conversations broke out behind her.

* * *

(Mon, 15 Jul)

Albus stood invisible near the hospital doors and watched in sadness. The once mostly happy-go-lucky lad who had turned less trusting over the last year was now a very angry wizard. He only tolerated Poppy and barely obeyed her, while out-right spurning Minerva, who had paid him a visit this morning, driving her from the room while not understanding what was going on.

Sadly, Albus realized it was mostly his fault. Harry did have responsibility for his choices and reactions, but Albus knew he had allowed very poor situations to develop around the young man, offering few good choices and forcing reactions to very difficult circumstances with little life experience. While he didn't like to consider it, he wondered if he had just created another Voldemort, something he still blamed himself for.

While Harry was arguing with Poppy about taking more potions, Albus silently sent a sleeping spell at the boy, bringing quiet to the infirmary for the first time since Harry had awakened a few hours ago.

Poppy seemed to wilt in relief before she started looking around and calling, "Albus?"

He cancelled the Invisibility spell on himself. "Yes, it is I," he said as he walked over and looked at the young man and wondered exactly what had happened to him, and wondered how to "fix" him, to find the "old" Harry.

"How long have you been here?" she asked quietly as she cleaned up a few potions Harry had thrown to the floor and then grabbed another to administer to him to help his malnutrition.

"All morning, since he awoke," he answered calmly, still contemplating the young man.

"So you saw and heard it all?"

"I did." He looked at her for a moment. "Do you have any idea what he's so angry about?"

"You mean besides every adult in his life?" she asked, surprised at the question.

He couldn't help the small grin he felt. "Yes, his shouts did seem to make it abundantly clear that no adult seemed to be able to do anything right around him. In fact, I'm surprised Minerva didn't hex him for what he said to her."

Poppy snorted as she straightened up Harry's sheets from his flailing earlier. "She has too much guilt to do so."

"Why?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

"You don't know?" She was very surprised. At the shake of his head, she leaned over and with a free hand, turned Harry's right hand over, palm down. "Umbridge did that to him after Minerva told him to keep his head down. So he never told her, or you apparently."

Albus looked at the scar that clearly said, "I must not tell lies", shocked at this fact that had escaped his notice. He knew Harry had spent many detentions with Dolores, and the punishment had been logged as writing lines, and now he knew the truth: Harry had been forced to use a Blood Quill for many of those detentions. He turned and sank to the end of the boy's bed, distressed over what had been allowed in his school - by a high ranking Ministry official - right under his crooked nose.

Between the events he had let happen in previous years, what he knew had happened this last year, the death of his godfather, the releasing of the prophecy, and now the revelation of this torture, Albus felt he understand Harry's anger more clearly. However, he was at a loss as to what to do about it.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and it wasn't until he looked up that he realized he had tears in his eyes.

"I know most people think you know everything that happens in this school," the nurse said gently and kindly, "but you don't, and you can't control others or you'd be a Dark Lord yourself. Don't hurt yourself over this, Albus. Find a way help him as best you can, but very little of it is your fault."

"Thank you, Poppy, but I've afraid most of it _is_ my fault, through lack of action if nothing else."

"No one is perfect…"

"No, but I haven't even been close when needed and now I don't know what to do to help him."

She nodded. "Perhaps you should work like a healer, since he does need healing. Working on one thing at a time and make it the biggest most life impacting problem. After you get that solved, then handle the next biggest problem, and so on."

He gave her a smile since she meant well. "I'm afraid we can't fix the biggest problem at this time, but the second biggest is possible." With her encouraging look, he pushed away his doubts for the moment and forged ahead. "If you would, please give him a Dreamless Sleep potion to keep him asleep for a few hours and gather all the potions he needs for the next week. I shall take him where he can be among friends and watched and be safe. I hope that will restore some of his more normal outlook on life."

A few minutes later, Albus called his phoenix to him, and with a shrunken basket of potions and a shrunken trunk in his pocket, he held Harry to him and used his other hand to grab Fawkes's tail feathers and they flashed to Sirius's old house. Fortunately, he had been in the upstairs rooms before and no one was there now. Without any guilt for the loss of privacy, for he felt he really needed to keep an eye on Harry for the near future, Albus made the boy comfortable in the room Harry used last year, the one with Phineas Nigellus Black's portrait. The fact that Ron also slept here and could help Harry return to a more balance perspective seemed an added bonus to the old wizard.

After setting Harry's trunk in place for the boy to find later, Albus walked downstairs with his phoenix on his shoulder, surprising everyone who was in the living room at the moment.

"Did you bring Harry?" Ginny asked expectantly, as it had been hinted that today was the day.

Albus held up his hand to stop them all. "Harry is now upstairs and sleeping with the aid a Dreamless Sleep potion for a few hours. I strongly suggest that you let him wake naturally."

After a nod from everyone, he pulled out the small basket of potions, resized it, and handed it to Molly. "Poppy said Harry should have these and she put instructions inside, assuming you can convince him to take them."

Molly's eyes narrowed slightly. "What do you mean by that?" she said, sounding like she would make him take them if need be to make him well.

Placing his hands behind his back as if about to give a lecture, which he was, he very carefully looked at each one of them, staring all but Ginny and Molly into submission. "Harry is very unhappy at this moment and he has every right to be. I've recently found out that I've made some rather large mistakes concerning him and I'm trying to work out how to fix them."

"But surely, Headmaster…"

He stopped Molly's objections with an intense look. "Harry is correct to be rather cross with me, and by extension, every adult in his life, without exception."

"But…"

"Yes, even you, Molly. It was my mistake for isolating Harry this summer. I thought it best for him, but that was not true. Harry will see that as you caring more for me than for him, and from his point of view, he's correct."

"But…"

"Yes, I know there are extenuating circumstances and other things he doesn't know about, but from his point of view, he is actually correct. I would also suggest you keep your distance from him for a time." Albus was pleased Molly stopped objecting. Then his next concern hit.

"Will he see us that way too?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"I honestly don't know, Miss Granger, but I believe there's a good chance that will be true. You should not be surprised if he's angry at everyone. However, I hope that by being here and around all of you, his friends, and you must have patience with him no matter how hard it is, that he will slowly heal. He may appear to be a little unbalanced at the moment, but care, love, and time from all of you can help him." It saddened him that all of Harry's school friends looked very sad at what he'd told them.

— — —

Everyone looked at each other for a few minutes after Dumbledore had left. Molly took charge and said, "Let's see what Madam Pomfrey has left for us." She looked in the basket and was surprised. "There are so many," she said softly.

"It's almost time for lunch, maybe we should take him up some of that in a few minutes," Ron suggested.

Half an hour later, Ron carried a tray of food up the stairs while Hermione carried the potions and Ginny tagged along, two long letters in her pocket. As they reached the top of the stairs to the second floor, they heard a voice and bumps on the wall.

Rounding the last corner before the room, they saw what looked like a portrait go flying out the door of the room and heard another bump on the wall. They now understood what they had been hearing.

"Hey, that's all my stuff," Ron exclaimed louder than he had meant to when he saw many of his possessions lying in the hallway on the floor.

Harry stuck his head out of the doorway and looked at them, his expression instantly changed. "Aww, now the traitors decide to come find me."

"Harry?" Hermione called out hesitantly.

"Go away, all of you!"

Ginny grabbed the tray from Ron and held it out in front of her, offering it to him. "We brought you lunch…" Nothing else could come out of Ginny's mouth; Harry's stare simply froze her.

"What about my … things…" Ron stopped in mid-gesture at the pile of his clothes when Harry's look turned to him.

"You're traitorous and stupid," Harry said insultingly. "What part of 'go away' didn't you understand?"

"Where's he going to sleep?" Hermione asked timidly, but determined to know.

That brought Harry up short for a moment, until his sneer returned. "I don't care. Now leave or I'll make you." He disappeared only long enough to have taken one step in the room. When he reappeared, he had his wand in his hand and he seemed to be radiating power that could physically be felt.

Deciding this was a battle they weren't going to win now, Ginny hastily set the tray down on the top step, almost spilling the drink, and fled down the stairs with tears starting to leak down her face. She stopped out of sight on the landing below to catch her breath and emotions when she heard a caustic, "I guess only one of you has any brains."

Footsteps came down the stairs quickly and loudly as she was joined by Ron and Hermione. Noticing the brunette's empty hands, Ginny whispered, "Where are the potions?"

In tears herself, Hermione whispered, "I left them next to the tray," before leading the retreat the rest of the way back down.

Molly wanted to storm upstairs, but Remus and Bill held her back and convinced her to be patient, as Dumbledore had advised.

Ginny dried her tears and considered what to do next. An hour later, she snuck back up the stairs and found the tray of food to be empty and the potions gone. Ron's stuff was still in the hallway, but Harry and his things were no longer visible in Ron's room when she peeked in. Deciding not to push things, she gathered up the tray and returned to the kitchen still thinking how to convince Harry that she was his friend. "Oh, Harry," she sighed wistfully as she left.

She never saw the boy under the invisibility cloak who was watching her.

* * *

(very early Tue, 16 Jul)

Harry wasn't sure what was going on with his supposed friends. They had ignored and betrayed him this summer, or so he felt, but now they were acting like they wanted to be his friends again. A small part of him wanted to accept them again, but most of him could only think of how they'd pushed him away - betrayed him. So for now, he pushed them away.

At the moment, it was late and he thought everyone else was in bed. If they knew where he was, they had been smart enough to leave him alone as he was certain he would have hexed them, the Statute of Underaged Wizardry be damned.

He had been spending the last hour or so going through Sirius's bedroom and things. Twice, he'd had to stop and weep for his godfather. Finding the communication mirror on the man's bedside table had been the worst and fueled his anger, mostly at himself but also in general.

Then there was the book, a journal of dreams really, and two letters. The book contained thoughts and ideas of what Sirius wanted to do and so many of them contained adventures and trips with Harry, causing him to sob yet again.

The smaller of the letters was his last will and he had left literally everything to Harry, even making him his legal heir. Harry could call himself Potter-Black if he so desired.

The other letter was a work in progress, he realized. It was obviously not finished and had several sentences crossed out. However, there was no doubt that this was Sirius's last message to him. It contained an idea that pulled at Harry. He wasn't sure if it was just his present state of mind or if because Sirius had written it - probably both. Wiping yet more tears away on his already damp sleeves, he deeply considered what his godfather had written, what his godfather had desired.

Looking around the room, he took in the shambles of the place. Then there was the shambles of his life. He laughed bitterly and quietly. When thought of like that, he belonged here in this rundown house; but he also knew he couldn't stay here. It was too painful. Returning to the letter, he thought about the idea there one last time and how much it appealed to him. He wished he could change the part where Sirius couldn't go with him, but that wasn't possible, so he started on Sirius's idea - his last wishes to some extent - as best he could.

"Kreacher."

The elf popped in. "What does filthy half-blood master want?"

Harry's blood boiled. "I command you to freeze and to listen very carefully."

The elf looked up at him and then stood completely still, almost as if like a statue.

Harry grabbed the other letter. "This," he shook the letter, "is Sirius's Will. He gave everything to me and made me his legal heir. I am now Harry James Potter-Black. I am your master now. You will treat me with the respect due me as the Head of the House of Black. You will treat me with the respect you gave Sirius's father, do you understand?"

Kreacher bowed to him, although Harry could see the struggle that the elf didn't want to, but his magic made him.

"I should kill you right now because your lie to me led to the death of Sirius Black." Harry practically growled, barely containing his anger but not his magic which leaked out and was felt by the elf. "You caused a member of the Black family to die and that is not something you are allowed to do. Only the head of the house can make that decision. However, I have need of you, so your punishment will be to serve me and to serve me well. You will also never lie to me again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master," Kreacher said respectfully, the first time he had ever done so.

"Very good. Now, Sirius mentioned a Portkey to the family holiday island. Go get it and bring it to me quickly."

Instead of popping way, Kreacher walked over to the desk in the room, reached into the bottom drawer, returned with a smooth black rock the size of his palm and just as flat, and handed it to Harry before standing quietly.

"Are there trunks in the house, especially oversized or multi-compartment trunks?" he asked the elf.

"Yes, master."

"Then you are to get those and pack up anything in the house that is valuable and belongs to the Blacks, starting with the library. Can you shrink items before packing them?"

"Yes, master."

"I would suggest you shrink them as much as possible. If it belongs to the Blacks, is useful or valuable, and is in this house, I want it packed - except for that portrait of the old Headmaster, it says here. When a trunk is full, bring it here to this room. I will pack this room. You have three hours and will not tell anyone about this, go."

The elf popped away and Harry went to his trunk and started pulling out all of the things he didn't want before shrinking those things he did want to keep. Then he started shrinking everything of value and anything he couldn't identify and placed those items in his trunk.

By the time he finished, there were two other trunks already in the room and a third one magically appeared. With a smile, Harry picked up a quill and some parchment and began to write.

Two hours after the command, the elf returned with a sixth trunk and a painting, panting slightly. "Kreacher had to put some thieves to sleep and take what is ours, but all that is ours is packed and here."

"Very good, Kreacher." Harry eyed the portrait and walked over to it slowly, as it watched him back. "I am now the Head of the House of Black and the House of Potter," he said with a steely voice. "Do you have a problem with that, Mrs Black?"

"Tell me what you are doing and I'll answer your question, young man."

He took a moment to consider what to tell her, or even if he had too. There was the possibility that she could be useful. "I am taking a holiday to regroup and plan in safety before I put things the way they should be. The details are for me only at this time. Now, do you plan to behave yourself and come, or continue your rude ways and stay? I am the master."

Kreacher sucked in a sharp breath.

Walburga Black examined him carefully for a long moment. "It will be as you wish, my lord."

Harry inclined his head slightly in respect. "Very well then." He turned to a much relieved looking elf. "Can you get all of this to the island before 6am?"

"No master, the island is too far away," the little creature hung his head in shame.

Harry was amused that he'd finally found a limit to house-elf magic. "Do you have a place outside of this house that is safe that you could move it to before 6am?"

Kreacher looked up much happier. "Yes, master!"

"Then I want you to take all the trunks and your mistress to that place. When they're safe, I want you to cause panic here in this house to get everyone to leave quickly, then when everyone is out of the house, I want you to put their things outside and completely seal the house. Doors, windows, Floo, seal it all so no one but you and me can get in and that it is safe until we return."

"Yes, master."

"When they are outside, give this note to Lupin," Harry handed his farewell over and a sack of money. "Finally, bring all of our things to the island and use the money to buy food for us. Oh, do we have any trunks left over?"

"Just one, master."

Harry fished in a pocket and handed two Gringotts keys over. He'd found Sirius's key on the desk. "Also, go to the bank and empty both vaults into the trunk and bring that along too. If it all won't fit, clean out mine first and leave what you have to in the Black vault. If you do empty them out, tell the Goblins I won't be needing them and to stop charging me for them. I'll see you on the island."

Kreacher gave him one last, "Yes master", before Harry touched his wand to the Portkey and left with his own trunk.

After the longest Portkey ride of his life, Harry landed in darkness with a large leaf of some sort hitting him softly in the head as the wind blew it. The air was thick with humidity and the only sounds were the wind, some insects, and some constant sound so low and unfamiliar he couldn't make it out.

Pulling his wand out, he cast, _Lumos_, and looked around. He was on the front door step of a plain looking small house, or so it appeared from what little he could see in the darkness. The door wasn't locked, so he went in. The inside was dusty but looked like it would provide a pleasant stay when cleaned. A wave of his wand turned the lights on and confirmed his initial impression. He was also quite sure there were space expansion spells at work here.

A short tour allowed him to find the master bedroom. A few spells and the bed area was clean enough for the moment. Tired from the long emotional day, and the fact that he wasn't completely well, Harry kicked off his shoes and laid down. He was asleep almost instantly.

— — —

The Blacks had another small house in England from a dowry. It wasn't well known however. Kreacher checked on it and found that it was empty and hadn't been disturbed for some time, so he took all of the Black possessions - as he thought of them - and put them in Mistress Dorea's house, or Mistress Walburga mother's house.

With everyone still asleep, he packed up everyone's things, except for the few items people would miss, like wands, glasses, slippers, and the like, and moved them to the front garden but out of sight from the front door.

Then with a smile on his face, he created smoke in the entire house and started yelling, "Fire! Fire!" Without a doubt, he accomplished his new master's plans admirably. People ran every which way trying to get out of the house. As each left their room, usually to check on someone else and get them moving too, Kreacher went in behind them and removed the remaining items to the stack in the front garden.

The moment the last person was out of the house, Kreacher knew it and locked the doors before clearing all the smoke out, as that would have caused everything to smell by the time they returned. Then with elf magic, Kreacher pushed his magic into a specific ward on the house and it started sealing itself. Mission accomplished, he popped out to the front garden for his last task.

Seeing the werewolf, Kreacher pulled out the note from his master and a hat pin. While the dark creature was busy trying to get back into the house, now that it was obvious there was no fire, Kreacher held the note to the man's thigh while he was not looking down and stabbed the hat pin straight in to deliver the note. With a feral grin at the scream he'd caused, Kreacher popped way to carry out the rest of his tasks.

— — —

Remus Lupin felt a sharp stabbing pain in his left leg and couldn't help the scream that escaped him. Looking down, he saw a note pinned to his leg. He also thought he might have seen the bloody house elf that was supposed to be here and helping them, but wasn't; however, he wasn't sure about much since he'd been suddenly awakened a few minutes ago.

He didn't know what had caused the smoke, but he was now fairly certain there was no house fire, now that he was outside and could think a little more clearly instead of running for his life. Fortunately, Arthur had kept his head, and with Bill to help, was Side-Along Apparating each of the children away to safety while Molly tried to keep the remaining children together and quiet so as not to attract attention from the rest of the neighborhood.

Pulling the long pin from his leg, one that looked suspiciously like a hat pin, he grabbed the note and held it such that the faint street light would illuminate it.

_Since you didn't want anything to do with me, then I don't want anything to do with you. Go away. Sirius left it all to me, go find your own house. HJPB_

Remus closed his eyes and sighed while he mentally cursed fate and every other name he could think of that might be associated with this disaster, starting with Sirius Orion Black.

An Apparation crack caused him to look up and see that Arthur had returned, so he went over to talk to the man. "Where did you take them?"

"Back to The Burrow, it looked safe enough, at least for the night. Bill is there with Hermione and Ginny. There is no fire, is there?" Arthur asked, pointing to the peaceful looking house.

"No, but I'll explain later. The biggest problem I see now is that our clothes and such are inside." Lupin gestured helplessly at the house.

"Dad?" Ron called quietly a short distance from the front door.

Arthur and Remus walked over and joined the last child who hadn't been transported yet. There, stacked in a haphazard pile were all of their possessions from the house.

"But…" Arthur had trouble forming a coherent question.

"Yes," Remus answered quietly so only the three could hear, "Harry kicked us out. I'll show you his note when we arrive at your place."

The few others who had stayed the night were called over and everyone picked up as much as they could carry before Apparating away, except for Ron, who Arthur took.

At The Burrow, Harry's note was shown around, but no one really understood what Harry was thinking that drove him to this. There was also mixed opinion on if Harry was still at #12 or not. All they could really do for now was to try to sleep for a little while longer then show the note to the Headmaster later in the morning.

When Arthur stopped by to see the twins at their small flat above their shop to tell them the news about Harry, they looked at each other, each thinking furiously.

"We've goofed."

"Royally. We need to write a letter of apology and send it immediately."

However, their owl looked distressed and wouldn't take the letter anywhere.

— — —

Harry woke to light hitting him in the face. He blinked for a moment and wondered where he was this time. The memory of his "escape" returned and he grinned like a loon. All the pressure was behind him for now. Maybe he could put his life back together and find a way to return - maybe. If he did, it would definitely be when he wanted to.

Putting his glasses on, Harry looked around to see a pleasant, luxurious even, bedroom. Honestly, this was how he thought Grimmauld Place would have been when he first visited the old Black home, given the reputation he'd heard about the Blacks. He also noticed that the entire room was clean, courtesy of Kreacher, he assumed.

Searching more than he had last night, he found the bathroom and took a shower. Wearing only a towel, he continued his search and found the closets had clothes that had been in his trunk - definitely the work of Kreacher. More searching allowed him to dress in shorts and a T-shirt that mostly fit him, probably from Sirius's younger days. Ready to face his new world, Harry went out to find breakfast.

The house looked even better in the daytime and was every bit as wonderful as Sirius had made it out to be in his writings. A plate of warm food was waiting on him at the dining table so he sat down to eat while he took care of a little business.

"Kreacher!"

"Master called?" the elf asked, walking through a doorway that looked like a kitchen from what Harry could see.

"First, good job on getting everything here and cleaning up the place. Second, where are we?"

"It has always been known as Black Island. It is off the coast of a place known as Morocco and for many generations, it has been hidden from all eyes not of the Black family."

Harry noticed a bit of a glare from the elf, but he ignored it. In his mind, he was the Head of the Blacks. "What happened at Gringotts?"

"I brought all of the money from your vault and closed it, and a little money from the Black vault. It is not closed."

Harry wondered just how much money was in the Black vault, but then again, perhaps the trunk had not been all that big and he'd had a good size mound of gold in his vault. "What happened at the house?"

"I did as you ordered. I created smoke to make them think the house was on fire. When they left, I threw their things on the front lawn and commanded the house magic to seal it. I am now the only one who can get into it. The werewolf has your note."

He nodded and considered that he'd have to get the elf to teach him how to unseal the house too. Still, his present goal of being left alone, while in a bit of an extreme way, was now accomplished. "Very good, Kreacher, you do your house proud. After you eat and clean up the kitchen, rest until it's time to fix dinner. I'll fix my own lunch."

"Yes, master," the elf said just a touch more politely.

It seemed that a combination of the right commands and acting like the elf thought a master should made him respond better, or so Harry thought as he finished his breakfast.

Taking a deep breath, he smelled clean air and a few things he couldn't identify, so he went out the front door to check out the island.

Turning around, he looked at the house and found that on the outside, it looked like a medium sized house, perhaps only slight bigger than the Dursleys. However, he knew it had four large bedrooms that had their own bathrooms and a large living room and dining room. Sirius had been right, it was a pleasant get away spot to recover from difficult times, whether it was twelve years in Azkaban or worthless friends.

Heading down a path, he soon came to a beach of light pink sand and blue water. To the left, the water went into the island a short ways into what he thought was called a lagoon. To the right was more beach and a good sized hill. Between him and hill looked to be dense vegetation. A dog might have traversed it easily, but Harry knew he wouldn't on foot. With a grin for the various ideas he had, he headed back to the house.

A few minutes later, he was flying on his Firebolt, which McGonagall had returned to him just before he left at the end of the year - a year he really wanted to forget. Soaring in the bright sun, he looked down and smiled. There was water as far as he could see, and a slightly oval island about a mile or so long and about half as wide with a narrow beach all around the edge except for where the hill was. In short, it was paradise and all his.

It didn't take long for him to start feeling hot, so he returned to the house for a cold drink. By the time his thirst was gone, he noticed that he had a light pink tinge to his skin. He'd have to ask Kreacher for some sun lotion next time he went out, or maybe look in the books for how to make one.

That gave him an idea for a good project, something to make him forget about his troubles.

Looking around the house again, he selected the smallest bedroom to become the new library. He shrunk the furniture that he didn't like down for storage, and the other things he didn't like were transfigured into bookcases. It took him several tries, but eventually he made one that he liked, and used it for the pattern to make the rest. That done, he searched for the extra trunks and the one that held the books.

The rest of the day, with a break for a sandwich, Harry enlarged the books from the Black library and organized them. He thought Hermione would have been pleased with his work, but the memory of his supposed friend brought angry thoughts back.

To get his mind away from his betrayers and onto something else, Harry went to explore the island under the cover of the trees until dinner.

— — —

After dinner, a weary group of people met at The Burrow. For the first time, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were not asked to leave, although Molly Weasley kept glancing between them and the Headmaster. They also had a first time visitor, whom Albus Dumbledore talked to alone for several minutes before the meeting started.

Albus stood by the fireplace and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Greetings, this evening I'd like to introduce a new member before I start on the main topic of conversation."

All eyes swiveled to the new blonde girl sitting beside Bill, although Ron, Hermione, and Ginny already knew who she was.

"I'd like to present Miss Fleur Delacour, originally from France and a Triwizard Champion from two years ago. She is a friend of Mr Bill Weasley and a co-worker of his at Gringotts. Please welcome her into our group as she helps us to save our society from a band of dark wizards and witches." Albus led a small round of applause.

"Now, to our main topic." Dumbledore looked somewhat sad and very serious. "A young man that we need to protect has spurned our help and has gone missing. To those who had time to look today, does anyone have any news to report?"

Remus Lupin held up his hand. "I believe I do. I spent some time examining the, uh, old house, and I don't believe he's there. The place seems to be magically sealed in a way that I can't determine, so probably with some old family wards. I also checked where he normally should be, and he hasn't been there either. I believe he's some place we aren't going to find easily."

A short chuckle caused everyone to look over by the doorway and see Severus Snape with a small smile, the first many had ever seen on him. "My apologies for the interruption, please continue."

"Do you have anything _useful_ to add, Snape?" Lupin added with a hint of irritation.

"No, I'm just enjoying the moment, do carry on." The potion master's smile faded, but he still looked pleased, the only one in the room who was.

"If I may?" Everyone turned to look at Fleur, who had her hand raised slightly and waved hesitantly for a brief moment. "What has happened and who are we searching for?"

"Do you remember Harry Potter from when you were in the Tournament?" Albus asked her.

"Who could forget?"

"Yes, I don't think many could," Albus agreed good-naturedly. "Harry has been targeted by Lord Voldemort, a continuation from what happened when he was a small child. Apparently, Harry has not dealt well with the stress of that and the stress of losing his godfather just a few short weeks ago. Last night after everyone was asleep, he seems to have left the house he was staying in and sealed up the house. It is very important that we find him, not only to protect him, but because he may not be thinking clearly."

"I see, thank you."

"You're welcome, Miss Delacour." He turned to the rest of the group. "Does anyone else have any news?"

"Professor," Hermione spoke up, "I haven't seen Hedwig either, and Harry's owl is never far from him when it's possible. Also, I tried to send a letter to Harry with Ron's owl, but he wouldn't take it. Does that mean that he's far away?" she asked a little fearfully, not really wanting to ask if he might be dead.

"It could mean he's far away, but the more likely explanation is that he's in a shielded area or he's found a way to do magic to prevent owls from finding him," Dumbledore explained to her. "Unless anyone has anything else of importance?" he paused and looked around. "In that case, please keep your eyes and ears open about news or even rumors of activity from Voldemort or his Death Eaters. Have a pleasant evening."

* * *

(A/N: There's the setup for this story and all of the players are present.)


	2. Protector, Teacher, Friend?

(A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. For those that didn't see what they wanted, sorry, but that's the nature of fan-fiction; I can't please everyone as some of you have conflicting opinions.

Several people asked why I didn't let Ginny be more like in book5 and stand up to Harry when they met, or at least leave her letters with the food. Please remember that when they met, he physically scared her with his appearance "radiating power". She was smart enough to realize then wasn't the best time to talk to Harry. Also, I'd like to hope it was at least semi-obvious that I needed Harry to have no ties with his homeland to take the story where I wanted it to go.)

* * *

**Chapter 2 - Protector, Teacher, Friend?**

(Fri, 19 Jul)

Harry staggered into the house dripping with sweat and a few scratches on him. He eyed lunch on the table, but that would have to wait until after a shower as he could smell himself and it wasn't pleasant.

As he cleaned up, he grinned to himself about his accomplishment: he now had a complete path around the island. While there was beach around most of it, the end of the island with the hill ended in a short rocky cliff with a steep slope above that. To be able to walk around, or to jog as was his goal, he'd had to cut a path through the underbrush and trees on this side of the hill just before the ground started to slope up.

He was now very proficient with the Cutting Curse, to the point of being able to cast it while only thinking the words of the spell. That made him wonder if he could learn to cast the rest of his spells silently. He'd seen a few of the seventh year students do that at school, but only a few. That made him think it was hard to learn and he could attest to the fact that he'd had to use the Cutting Curse a lot, as well as try very hard, to learn to cast it silently. Still, the idea seemed like a worthwhile goal.

However, now he could work on his first goal. He wanted to be able to run completely around the island without stopping. His battle in the Department of Mysteries had him sucking wind far too much and he didn't want that to happen again.

While Harry ate lunch and considered what else he wanted to do today, he started to desire the chance to talk to someone in a meaningful way. Kreacher wasn't much of a conversationalist. He supposed he could go with Kreacher to the market, wherever that was, but he wasn't sure he wanted to be seen in public just yet. He'd only left Britain three days ago. He'd wait longer before he went anywhere.

* * *

(Sat, 20 Jul)

Ginny sat in a chair in the corner and watched people start to arrive for an Order meeting. She, as well as Hermione and Ron, hadn't been allowed to attend the last one two days ago; so since they could attend this one, she suspected that Harry would be the only topic.

She was still very put out with how her mother had prevented her from writing Harry before the huge flap with his illness and disappearance had started; and now no one's owl would take a letter to him.

After her silly childhood crush on the boy, like most other Pureblood witches within a few years of her age, she'd started getting to know him a little over the last two years and found that she'd actually liked him and he seemed to like being around her and possibly saw her as her own person, or so she hoped. Her hope was to spend some more time around him to find out if he really did like her or not, but that desire had been thoroughly dashed for the moment.

Ginny watched Bill and Fleur walk in. She eyed the French witch, wondering what Bill saw in her, besides the obvious "pretty package". No witch should be that perfect looking, she thought grumpily as she considered her own looks. Her introspection was cut short as Dumbledore walked in and started the meeting.

"Thank you for coming this evening," the Headmaster said with a friendly smile. "I'll try to make this a brief one. As it was nearly twenty years ago, there are rumors of people in the Ministry being put under the Imperius. I strongly caution all of you who work there to be on your guard, not only for your own safety, but to be on the alert to find those who are so enchanted and controlled that they can be helped and we might find out who's doing this. If you find anyone you believe is being controlled, please notify me immediately.

"Now for the main topic of the evening, has anyone had any contact with or seen Harry Potter since he left?"

"I tried to send him a letter, but both owls that I tried to send the letter with wouldn't take it," Hermione said unhappily.

"It is unfortunate that your results match mine," he said graciously.

Hermione suggested, "Have you asked your phoenix if he can find Harry?"

"A good suggestion, Miss Granger" he replied, causing the girl to preen a little. "In fact, I hadn't thought of that as he's been out hunting recently; out of sight out of mind, as they say. Fawkes and Harry get along quite well, so perhaps that might work." Dumbledore got a faraway look in his eyes for a moment before a flash of fire burst in front of him and Fawkes settled on his outstretched arm.

Remus Lupin edged back in his seat as far as he could. While he didn't fear birds, his respect for them had risen recently. A trill for a greeting to the group helped him relax a little.

"Fawkes," Dumbledore stared into the bird's eyes, "Harry Potter is missing. Can you find him?"

The bird gave a long trill, causing the Headmaster to smile at the start, but he was frowning by the end.

"What is it, Professor?" Molly asked for all of them.

"Fawkes knows where he is, but he won't take me there. He says that Harry's magic is not positive."

"Not positive? How can magic be positive or negative?" Hermione asked.

Albus moved Fawkes to his shoulder and sat in a chair he conjured silently. "You're being too literal, Miss Granger. Fawkes's perception of magic is different than yours or mine. Instead, think of it like emotion. If you see someone across the room that looks unfriendly or angry, you tend to stay away from them; some even say the person has negative emotions or energies. I believe Fawkes is saying that Harry doesn't want to be disturbed and is generating something like a 'Notice-Me-Not', which would explain why the owls would not take a letter to Harry. I would not be surprised if Hedwig was the only owl able to find Harry at this moment."

"Then how do we help him?" Molly asked.

"A letter," Ginny suggested. "Would Fawkes take a letter?"

"It's very important, Fawkes," Albus told him. The phoenix trilled, bringing a smile to Albus's face again. "Very good, I shall write a letter and send it with Fawkes. As this may take me a while to get just so, please indulge yourself in Molly's excellent snacks before you leave. I'll send it first thing in the morning and we'll reconvene tomorrow evening at this same time and hear Harry's reply."

* * *

(Sun, 21 Jul)

As Harry ate breakfast, a new thought came to him. "Kreacher?" he called to the elf in the doorway, the place he liked to stand while Harry ate. "Do you know if there is a Potter Manor?"

Boldly, Kreacher walked over to Harry and took his hand for a moment. "I can feel master's family magic now. Yes, you have another family home."

That excited Harry. "Brilliant. Get two of the trunks and go to the Potter family house. Bring back all the books that you can find and any portraits which can talk."

As Kreacher popped away, Hedwig flew through an open window and landed tiredly on the table.

"Hedwig!" Harry immediately jumped out of his chair and hurried to the kitchen and brought back a bowl of water for his owl, which she gulped greedily. He also fed her bits of meat, which she accepted. "I knew you'd find me," he told her as he stroked her soft feathers. As he petted his feathered friend, another bird arrived - via a ball of fire.

"Fawkes?!" Harry almost pulled his wand, but stopped himself when he realized the phoenix had come alone. "What are you doing here?" he asked suspiciously and with eyes narrowing.

The bird trilled and calmed him for a moment before looking down at his foot. When Harry looked, he saw a letter under the talon that he had missed at his first glance.

"You're not going to try to take me back, are you?"

Fawkes did a complicated motion with his head and neck, but it basically moved side-to-side.

Trusting the supposedly "Light" creature, Harry carefully grabbed the message and opened it. As he read it, he muttered, "No", "No", "Oh bloody hell no!"

He held the letter up in front of the bird. "Did you know what was in this?" The bird again gave him a "no" answer. "Well, I am not going back with you; but if you'll wait, I'll let you take my answer."

Kreacher returned but didn't seem bothered about seeing the phoenix there, so Harry let him go do whatever the elf wanted to do.

It took Harry three tries to write the message he wanted to send, plus another hour to find a couple of charms to use on the letter. That had taken him to the library and he'd been amazed at what Kreacher had done. The little elf had expanded the room to double its original size, and brought back book cases from the Potter home. Sadly, there were no talking portraits there.

With an almost evil grin, Harry cast the charms he had sought from the books and started to give the letter to Fawkes, but stopped. "Fawkes, do you promise to never bring anyone here unless I tell you they can come?"

Fawkes moved his head up and down.

"Thanks, you're a real friend." He petted the bird before giving him the letter.

It was time for lunch and then he was going to look to see exactly what Kreacher had brought with him from Potter Manor. Perhaps there was a journal in there from his parents - or so he hoped.

— — —

Albus stood in front of the Order of the Phoenix once more, but this time with a letter in his hand and a less than pleased look. "I have Harry's reply, so we know he is alive and well." Relief was audible from around the room. "However, we can not read it unless certain individuals touch it and state their names."

"You can do that?" Ron blurted out. "Wicked."

"Yes, a most ingenious charm, really. So…" Dumbledore waved his wand and conjured a small table in front of him, on which he placed the sealed letter. "When I call your name, please come forth, touch the letter with a finger, and state your name. Do not let go until all of us have finished as needed. Beside myself, we'll need Remus Lupin, Severus Snape," everyone looked surprised at that name, "Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, and Genevra Weasley."

Ginny looked a little put out with Harry using her full name, yet was also pleased that he had remembered it.

Albus Dumbledore touched the letter's envelope and stated his name. The rest followed. When Ginny finished, being the last, the letter flashed white and each of the six pulled their hand back. The white envelope split open and a red letter jumped up into the air.

"Oh no," Ron groaned and hastily covered his ears.

"You want me," Harry's voice boomed from the Howler, "to come back there, to a bunch of traitors who are only friendly to me when it's convenient to them or when you need me? I don't think so. To all the adults there, no, I'm not having a tantrum - well, maybe a little one. But you're the adults, you're supposed to take care of the big problems, but you don't. You force me to deal with them and when I get hurt doing it, you don't care and try to help. No, you just stick me away somewhere unpleasant until you need me again. And to my so-called friends, when I ask you for help, no _begged_ you for help in multiple letters, you either don't write back or you treat me like I'm diseased - and not once, but for two summers. I'm tired of solving everyone else's problems. If you want to stick me away and ignore me, that's fine; I'll ignore you too. I've seen your true colors and I don't think I trust any of you anymore. If Voldemort is a problem, I don't care. Either you take care of him or tell the Ministry to; it's their job anyway. Hell, Snape you can tell Voldemort that he can have the whole country for all I care. Fawkes has agreed not to bring here anyone that I don't approve of, so don't try to get a ride with him. Good-bye." The Howler exploded with a small bang, causing everyone to jump.

Dumbledore lowered his head to one hand and massaged his temples. "Emotional teenagers," he sighed. Several of the other adults murmured in agreement. Hermione and Ginny turned to one another and hugged, silent tears streaking down both of their faces. Ron stood there in shock, like many others. Snape quietly walked back to his spot by the door with a contemplative look.

"Severus," Dumbledore sounded very old and tired at the moment. "How long do you think we can keep Harry's absence a secret?"

"For the summer. I can easily say, if asked, that Potter is at a new safe house that you won't share with anyone. The fact that it's basically the truth only makes it better," the dour man replied.

"Then we have almost six weeks to convince Harry to return…"

"But Headmaster, he doesn't want to talk to any of us," Hermione forced out as she dried her tears, "and Fawkes won't take any of us because Harry's upset about everything through this summer and we've all been a part of that."

In the depressing silence after Hermione's pronouncement, a voice said, "I have not been a part of it since before last summer." All heads swiveled to Fleur Delacour. "I have not," she reiterated defensively.

"How would Harry react to Miss Delacour?" Dumbledore looked at each of the three students.

When Ron opened his mouth, Ginny smacked him on the back of his head. "Don't you say a word about her being a Veela and Harry liking that." Ron rubbed the back of his head as everyone, including Fleur, chuckled at the comedy which lightened the mood of most people considerably.

"I know that Harry once said that he respected her for what she did in the Tournament," Hermione said, looking at Fleur and receiving a grateful smile.

Ginny, who was still wiping away a tear, said, "I think we should ask him, it can't hurt, assuming Fleur is willing to go and try to convince him to come back."

All looked to Fleur again, who seemed to be embarrassed to be the center of attention since she was new to the group. "I am willing to go, but I do not know if I can be successful. We barely know each other."

"At least talk to him," Molly urged the girl. "Tell him we love him and care about him. Tell him we want him to come home so he'll be safe. He can stay with us."

"He could stay with almost any of us," Hestia Jones said. "I know those who are Aurors are too busy, but he could stay with many of us and not be alone."

"Will you go, if Harry will allow it, Miss Delacour?" Albus asked her softly.

Fleur nodded. "I will."

"But, Fleur!" Bill grabbed her hand in his.

"I would think it would only be for a few days, a week at most," Fleur told him. "We will have a few conversations and either he comes or he does not."

"I don't think we should put a time limit on it," Albus told her as he pulled some parchment and a self-inking quill from his robes. "If you can talk to him, take all the time you need and guard him as well."

While Albus wrote the letter, the three students and the Weasley twins tried to give Fleur advice on what to say and not to say.

Finishing, he smiled and cast a spell on the letter as well.

"What was that?" Ginny asked.

"Just a tracking spell, my dear. I should have done that the first time. Even if he won't tell us where he is, it will give me a general idea as to which area to look." Pleased with himself, he called Fawkes to him. "Fawkes, please take this letter to Harry. We'd like to see if he'll approve of a visitor."

Fawkes snatched up the letter, but then hesitated for a moment before he took off and flew towards the fireplace and let the letter go, causing it to fly into the fire, before coming around and trilling angrily at the Headmaster while the letter burned.

Fleur laughed a throaty laugh. "He is angry with your trick, Professor."

Albus looked at her in surprise. "You can understand him?"

"No, but I can feel his anger. Why is obvious," she said with a shrug and leaned back in her seat.

A humbled Dumbledore wrote another letter (without a Tracking Charm) and gave it to Fawkes, who accepted it and flashed out.

— — —

Harry sat in a comfortable chair in the living room enjoying a pleasant cross breeze and reading his first book on Ancient Runes. Perhaps it was the way this author wrote, but he found it interesting. Of course, a Butterbeer and some soft music from a wireless that Kreacher had brought made it all that much better.

Fawkes flashed in and landed on the arm of the chair.

Harry chuckled as he took the letter from the feathered messenger. "I wasn't sure if I'd see you tonight or tomorrow, but I was sure they'd have a reaction to my fun. Let's see why my 'no' wasn't enough for them."

Setting the parchment down after reading it, he lifted a hand and idly stroked Fawkes's long neck as he thought about whether to let Fleur come visit. After a few minutes, he looked at Fawkes. "So, do you approve of Fleur?" The phoenix trilled in a way Harry found quite pleasing, so he took that for a yes. "And do you think I should let her come?" The answer this time was not as enthusiastic, but still seemed positive to Harry.

"It would be good to have someone else here to talk to, and I bet she knows at some of the stuff I need to learn. The question is, can I trust her?" Fawkes gave a trill that sounded positive, or so it seemed to Harry. With one last rub of the feathers, Harry said, "Please stay here, I'll be back in a minute."

When he returned, he held the note out to Fawkes. "You have to promise me that you won't bring her unless she promises to you that she won't try to force me to leave here. I put that requirement in the note, but I want you to not bring her unless she tells you the promise."

Fawkes trilled his understanding, took the note, and flamed away.

"Kreacher!" Harry called, "Ready another bedroom. I believe we'll be having a visitor."

— — —

"Fleur, I don't want you to go. We've just started dating," Bill told her solemnly as they were having a quiet conversation on the back porch away from everyone else.

"Why are you afraid, Bill Weasley? Is this not trying to help in the war? You said that was this group's purpose. I can protect myself. I am Veela." To prove her point, she held her right hand palm up and a fireball suddenly appeared, floating an inch over her hand for a couple of seconds before she let it go away.

"I know you're capable, Fleur, it's just, well, no one knows what's at the other end and we can't send help to you if you need it." He sounded almost like he was pleading with her.

"Harry is there and he acts as if he's safe," she countered.

Bill sighed in frustration. "Look, don't go, this isn't a good situation," he told her with a hint of demand in his voice.

Fleur tilted her head slightly and examined his face more closely than before. "Is not the choice up to me?"

"Well, yes, but doesn't my opinion count?" he shot back.

"If you would say something logical, then yes it would. But you are being … irrational," she told him, her voice rising slightly in her own frustration. "We have a friend in trouble; I should go help. We have only dated three times, Bill. The choice is _mine_."

As if to prove her point, Fawkes flamed in and landed on her shoulder. Fleur took the note from the bird. "Let's go inside to read this. It is possible he said 'no'." She didn't believe that since the note was addressed directly to her, but it was possible.

Everyone one looked at them as Fleur and Bill walked back in.

"Fawkes has returned," Ginny said excitedly, having just come back into the room herself after a short trip upstairs.

Fleur held up the letter and then opened it. She had everyone's undivided attention as she read it aloud.

_Fleur,_

_I am in need of a tutor since I don't believe I'll be returning to school anytime soon. If you wish to accept such a position, you are welcome to join me in either the next hour, or from 8 until noon tomorrow, when the offer ceases to exist. The other condition for you joining me is that you make a promise, an oath even, to Fawkes that you will not try to force me to return._

_HJPB_

The Veela closed the letter and put it in her pocket, not reading the postscript to everyone. She was surprised by the many astonished looks she received, which she supposed stemmed from her being accepted.

"Miss Delacour," Dumbledore addressed her. "The choice is yours, but I humbly ask you to accept the offer and join Harry. Once there, I would ask you to befriend him and let him know that we have all made mistakes concerning him, and I have made the largest mistakes of all and am willing to do what I can to repair our relationship. I also ask that you keep him safe and do your best to convince him to return before the first of September. Lastly, I also ask that you stay for as long as is needed, and if that presents a hardship for you, I will do my utmost to provide you with due compensation."

At the time Bill had mentioned this group and asked if she'd like to help in the war effort, she'd had no idea she'd be doing anything like this. Of course, if she were honest with herself, she hadn't had much of any idea what she'd really be doing to help beyond gathering bits of information about Death Eaters who came into Gringotts.

Standing a little straighter, Fleur looked at the leader of the group. "If I may borrow your phoenix for the next hour, I will do my best to help Harry Potter return."

"Thank you, Miss Delacour, for your help…" Dumbledore trailed off as Bill muttered something unintelligible and pushed his way past a few people and swiftly walked out the back door as most watched him leave. "As I was saying, we all thank you for your help. It is imperative that you bring Harry back that we might protect him from falling to the dark side of magic because of his anger. One last request if I may. I shall send Fawkes to you every few days in case you are both ready to come home. If that is not the case, I hope I can count on you to send me a status report that we might know how you are doing and that you are both well."

"I understand, Professor." Fleur offered her arm to Fawkes and he hopped to it. Holding him in front of her, Fleur looked him right in the eyes. "Fawkes, I make a solemn promise to you, my oath. I will make no attempt to force Harry Potter to leave where he is." She couldn't help but smile as she added, "But I will talk to him about leaving." The phoenix trilled happily and bumped his head softly against hers.

"Hmm, what do you say? Wish me luck?" she asked.

While several people did say it, Ginny surprised her and stepped over quickly and gave her a hug. Even more surprising was the roaming hand under her light outer robe. As she was about to protest, Ginny whispered in her ear.

"Please give Harry these letters and tell him I was prevented from sending them. I'm still his friend."

"Thank you, Ginny," Fleur said in a normal voice, not sure what that was all about. No one else was trying to give her a hug; in fact, it almost looked like Bill's mother was happy to see her go. "To my flat, Fawkes, please?" An instant later she was enveloped in a comforting warmness and then she was in her flat.

"Make yourself comfortable while I pack." The phoenix went to her kitchen counter and started picking at the grapes in a bowl. With a smile, the Veela hurried to her room to pack.

After the basics she'd need, she considered Harry's postscript. "_Remember that it's summer._" She took that to mean that it was warm where he was, so she packed a few items and outfits for a warmer place. Some books, parchment, and writing things also went into her bag.

Have a little extra time, she dug into her pocket and pulled out Harry's letter as well as the three letters Ginny had placed there. They were not sealed, but folded in the cute way school girls often do. She dithered for a moment on whether to read them, and decided that she needed all the information she could get on Harry.

Opening them, she skimmed through the letters and found Ginny's thoughts, observations, and comments interesting. She now wished she could have a long conversation with the younger girl who had written these and perhaps shared more than she had meant to. Stuffing all the letters back in her pocket, she grabbed her bag and returned to find that Fawkes had eaten all the grapes.

Looking around, she wondered what to do about her flat, but didn't really worry too much. There was little of importance here, most of that was still at her family home. The rent was paid through the end of August and she intended to return before then.

Work was a concern, so she wrote a quick letter saying she had a family emergency and needed the next week off. She had no doubt that would be without pay. Going to her fireplace, she activated the Floo network and sent her letter to a special destination in Gringotts, sure that it would be given to her manager in the morning.

"When you're ready, Fawkes." The phoenix trilled and flew to her; grabbing the bird's tail feathers allowed them to leave and join Harry.

A moment later, she found herself in the living room of a nice home. It was night here too, but far more humid. The breeze through the windows helped with the temperature, but it was still a little too warm compared to where she had been, even if it was summer.

"Welcome," the polite but guarded voice from behind her said.

She turned and saw Harry setting a book down and rising from his chair. He had certainly grown up from the last time she had seen him. His shorts and T-shirt showed that he was not heavily muscled, but he was not a "leetle boy" any more either, something she truly regretted saying to him. Politeness would be very much in order, she decided.

With a small curtsy, she said, "Thank you for allowing me to come. I will repeat myself. I give you my solemn promise that I will not force you to leave here." That allowed him to relax a little she could tell.

"Thank you for that. I thought that perhaps you might enjoy a few days here and see how we get along. If that doesn't work out, I'm sure Fawkes would take you home any time you wanted to leave."

Fleur did not miss his implication. While he had extended her an olive branch of peace, it could be withdrawn. "I understand."

"I'll also say that you sound very different from the last time we talked. You're accent is mild and your pronunciation is good," he told her with an inquisitive look.

She smiled at him. "I have spent much time in English lessons since you last saw me. If I am careful, I can sound normal."

He nodded. "I won't tease you if you slip." He looked at her bag then back to her. "While we are in the same time zone as England, it is still getting late. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your room."

Following him, she saw that he lived in a very nice place, one she would have enjoyed if it had been only her. "Is it safe here?" she asked as they headed down a hallway.

He stopped in front of a doorway and gestured to her, so she entered it and found a very nice bedroom mostly in yellows. "We are under heavy wards here and the only people for miles. I hope that doesn't bother you."

"I appreciate your concern, but I can protect myself - if needed."

Harry chuckled. "You're quite safe from me. Kreacher!"

A house-elf suddenly appeared, surprising her.

"This is Kreacher," he told her before looking to the elf. "This is Miss Fleur Delacour. She is a guest and will be treated respectfully. Am I very clear?" The elf nodded silently. "You are also to help her with any request that she makes that is reasonable and will not harm me or the House of Black." After the elf acknowledged that order, Harry dismissed him.

"We will discuss the tutoring in the morning. Have a pleasant night's sleep." Before she could say anything else, he closed the door and was gone.

Several things were much clearer now. Having such a nice place to run to and a house-elf to help allowed her to understand how Harry had affected his escape. She had also not forgotten his daring and even magical power during the Triwizard Tournament. Both of those qualities seemed to have grown in the last year or so it seemed to her.

The fact that he had not been affected by her Veela allure was also a nice thing. She certainly had not tried to enthrall him as that probably would have had him calling Fawkes to send her back, but she had not been holding all that much back either. For reasons she wasn't sure of, she had allowed her allure to be natural, sort of in neutral and unfocused, and he had acted very normally. She decided she was very pleased with that as she put her clothes away and readied herself for bed.

She had also noted that he had remained emotionally guarded and fairly formal with her. She hoped that some time befriending him would show that she could be trusted and that real friendship would form. As for her mission, she could see she would have to be patient, maybe even very patient.

* * *

(Mon, 22 Jul)

Fleur woke on her own, much more pleasant than an alarm clock. A light blouse, shorts, and sandals were the order of the day she thought. Ready to go, she headed back into the main rooms.

While the furniture looked reasonably modern, the general décor seemed older, much like she would have expected in a house from an older Wizarding family. The layout was fairly open, which allowed for a nice breeze to help keep it cool. Continuing her slow turn, she suddenly noticed the house-elf waiting on her and she almost jump in surprise.

"Would Miss Guest like breakfast or do you want to wait for master?"

As she said, "I'll wait," Harry came through the front door. He was barefoot in shorts and a T-shirt with his hair and shirt plastered to him. While not fully grown yet, his looks still interested her.

"Hello," he said, still panting as if from heavy exertion, before leaning over and putting his hands on his knees.

"Good morning," she replied. "What have you been doing?"

"Running … around the island."

An island? She was surprised by that information. "Why were you running? Was something chasing you?" she asked with a hint of concern.

He managed a short chuckle as his heaving breathing slowly lessened. "No. I found myself out of breath during my last fight. We ran to get in better shape during primary school. I thought I'd do that now."

"I see."

"If you'll tell Kreacher what you want for breakfast, I'll join you after I change." He slowly left for his bedroom.

Fleur ordered a light breakfast and, as she waited, wondered which of the things his friends had told her about him were true and which weren't. She also considered that perhaps Harry had changed recently and his friends were unaware of that. There was no doubt that she had changed after she had left school and started working, and Harry was supposed to have just gone through a life-changing event.

Harry returned about ten minutes later looking more refreshed and certainly smelling better. "Did you sleep well?" he asked as he sat and Kreacher brought them food.

"Yes, very well. Thank you. Do you always run?"

"Hopefully, but this was only my third morning. Do you fly?" He looked hopeful.

"I fly when I have a broom and the need. Why?"

He shrugged. "I was hoping to have someone to fly with. Perhaps there's a spare broom here or I can buy you one."

Ron had told her he liked Quidditch, but it was never a sport that interested her all that much. "Will you miss Quidditch if you do not return to school?"

He shrugged again, although with a grin this time. "Not all that much. Quidditch was my excuse to fly. Playing Seeker was a lot of fun, but if I went back to school this year I might get named captain and that would take a lot of fun out of it."

"So you're seriously thinking about not returning?" She hadn't thought he was serious about not returning, but it seemed to be true. That would probably upset Dumbledore.

Sighing, he put down his fork for a moment and looked at her very carefully. "Let's say that I'm not convinced that's in my best interest at this time and leave it at that."

"As you wish," she replied casually, realizing this was a sensitive topic to him that she would have to approach carefully. "What do you want to do in the future then?"

Studying her for a moment more, he picked his fork back up to finish his breakfast. "I'm not sure yet. I had planned on staying here to learn the magic I need to take my NEWTs. Your showing up helps me accomplish that sooner." He shrugged again. "Beyond that, or even what I'd do six months from now is undecided."

Fleur was amazed. "You should be starting sixth year, yes? Then you think you can do two years of work in six months?"

He blinked at her for a moment before breaking out into a laugh, one which frustrated her. "No, no," he finally managed. "I don't know how long it will take me to prepare for my NEWTs. I was trying to say that I don't know what I'm doing in the future, whether it's after I take my NEWTs or even in as soon as six months from now."

"Oh, now I understand." She felt her face heat just a little in embarrassment at misunderstanding him.

"Since we're talking about learning, let's talk about your tutoring me. I suppose I should ask what you'll be charging. I know I'm providing a place to live and food, but I would expect it to take more."

She nodded. "Normally it would. Professor Dumbledore said he would compensate me for my time here. I should ask him about that specifically. I would say that you owe me nothing beyond the food and bedroom. The only question I have is how long I'll be here. I need to know what to tell my manager at Gringotts."

Harry considered her request as he finished with his eggs. "Maybe we should wait to answer that so we can see how the next few days go. If they go well, could you stay here for the next year?"

Surprised at his suggested time, all she could do was blink and breathe for a moment. "A year? I … hmm, yes, I can understand now. If you want to work through all of the NEWT material in a few courses, it could take a year. I am not sure what to do now. I had no idea what you were planning."

"It does seem like a long time when said that way," he said with an easy grin. "Let's see how we do and decide at the end the week. Does that work for you?"

"Yes," she replied, happy that she would have time to think about this seriously. It could really impact her career. She was also pleased that he was being less formal this morning and more friendly. "What subjects did you want tutoring on? Do you have your OWL scores?"

He shook his head. "No. I'm sure you'll be sending letters back. Could you ask for my OWL scores?"

"Yes. What courses do you want and do you think you scored on each OWL?"

"Well, Defense for sure," he said as he leaned back in his chair and looked at her. After a moment he added, "How did you do on your NEWT for that?"

"It was not my best course, but I still received an Exceeds Expectations since it is mostly applied Charms and Transfiguration. I received Outstandings on both of those courses," she told him with a hint of pride.

"Good, I'd like to do both of those as well. Potions will never be my favorite subject, but I brewed one yesterday and did well at it when I didn't have a great greasy git standing behind me and trying to force me to make a mistake and insulting me.

It took her a moment, but she finally figured out what and who he was talking about. "You mean that Professor Snape purposefully created problems for you in the classroom? I'd heard rumors when I was there, but in truth?"

Harry chuckled mirthlessly. "Let me tell you." He proceeded to relate several stories of what Snape had done in the classroom, both personally and by letting the Slytherin students do things to him.

Fleur was shocked. "That would never be allowed at Beauxbatons. What happened when you complained?"

He shrugged. "We didn't. The older students told us they had complained and nothing happened, so we bore it the best we could. Dumbledore wants Snape there so he allows the greasy git to do whatever he wants.

Shaking her head, she said, "I only made an Exceeds Expectations in Potions, but I can tutor you in it. At the NEWT level, there's really very little to learn other than an introduction to creating new potions. You mostly practice brewing harder potions."

"Right. Maybe we could go over the basics then, to make sure I know that. I don't care about Astronomy, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, History of Magic, or Herbology. I've looked at the Arithmancy book and I'm not sure about that one."

"Basic Arithmancy is only useful to learn Advanced Arithmancy," she explained with a smile. "Advanced Arithmancy is useful if you want to do spell theory or spell creation."

"I see and I really don't. However, I've picked up a Runes book and I found that appealing," he said with a little excitement creeping into his voice. "I didn't take any courses for it at Hogwarts, so I don't have an OWL in it."

"As a Curse Breaker, I was required to have an Outstanding in Ancient Runes, and I did bring two of my books for that, so I can teach you. Without an OWL, it will take longer though. Is there anything else?"

"No," he shook his head, "so Defense, Charms, Transfiguration, Runes, and a review of Potions."

She considered that amount of work for a few moments. "You should be able to do that work in a year, except for Runes."

"All right. Let's get started. Will you join me outside for a mock duel to see about Defense?" he asked while rising.

"That will be acceptable. It would help me to know how good you are now." She almost bumped into him when he stopped near the door. He opened a small pot, dipped his hand into it and offered it to her.

"What is it?" It smelled slightly fragrant.

"A sun block lotion. You'll burn very quickly without it here. I almost did my first day."

She noticed he was slightly pink on his arms. With an amused looked, she asked, "Haven't you learned the Sun Block Charm? I think we learned it in the third year."

Harry stopped in mid-rub and looked at her in astonishment. "No, we weren't taught that, although I probably shouldn't be surprised one exists. There's a charm for practically everything else." With a shrug, he continued putting on the lotion.

Fleur decided "to each their own" and cast the charm on herself. "The charm does feel a little strange, but it works well for several hours."

"Much like the lotion then," he said with a chuckle and motioned for her to follow him when he was ready.

"Do you have all the sixth and seventh year books for your courses?" she asked as they walked.

"Not the current ones, no." He sighed. "I didn't think everything through when I left and it was in the middle of the night. I do have the books my parents used," he told her with some pride and fondness. "Since we're not studying History, I would think they should be good enough."

She chuckled. "They probably are, but I can see about finding you some when I return."

"Why would you return?" He groaned, "Right, stupid me. You didn't expect to be here a long time so you would have things to wrap up at home."

Fleur laughed lightly. "Yes." Her amusement turned to wonder as they stepped out of the forest/jungle and onto a beach with light pink sand and very blue water as far as she could see. "You really _**are**_ on an island!" After a moment of looking around, she turned to see him smirking at her. "We're not even near England, are we? That is why you feel safe here."

"Ready?" he asked as he pulled his wand out and smiled at her.

When her wand was out of her holster and looking like she was ready for him, he whispered a spell that landed at her feet and flung her nearly ten feet backwards. She landed a little awkwardly on her back, but she didn't think anything was broken. As the sand that was flung into the air started to clear, she felt ropes hit her and she was tied up tightly.

Since she was now immobile, he walked over. "That was too easy. Were you not ready?"

«I'll show you ready you idiot for almost getting me killed,» she muttered in French. When he approached her, he released her but stood warily.

"I thought you would not be trying to hurt me," she said testily.

"I wasn't; that hex was never aimed at you, or rather not at your body," he defended himself.

She brushed the sand off of herself and did notice that he looked down guiltily. "The rules are no spells or hexes which are not easily fixed. Definitely nothing that would cost the other person a body part. The duel will end when the other person is immobile, unconscious, or lost their wand." She fixed him with a glare and he hastily nodded.

While he retreated to his spot to start again, she looked at the small crater in the sand where his Blasting Hex had hit. Despite her anger at him, she was also very impressed he had that much power. She thought herself powerful, but she also didn't think she could do the same.

When he looked ready, she started casting various spells and jinxes at him as fast as she could, while he cast as quickly as he could. She also danced gracefully out of the way of his spells, and he tried to move around too, although he was having to throw up a shield more often than she was.

As he sprung to the side to avoid a spell and stumbled, giving her an extra second, she transfigured some of the sand near him into several small dogs to nip at his feet. With him almost completely on the defensive, she slipped a Stunning Spell past his guard and he went down. A swish of her wand removed the remaining dog he had yet to deal with.

Walking over to him, she looked at his sprawled form carefully. Turning back to where she had stood, she cast a Blasting Hex with as much power as she could at the area next to his crater. When the sand settled, it was clear that his crater was half again as big as hers. Filling in both craters in the sand, she looked at him with new respect as she awakened him.

"That was good, but let's try again." She turned and walked back to her spot, wondering if he had held back after she had accused him of trying to hurt her. "Ready?" she called. When he nodded, she again started sending spells his way.

It took nearly five minutes this time, but again she stunned him to end the duel.

When he awakened this time, he angrily said, "I don't understand."

"Perhaps we should talk in the shade?" she suggested.

He nodded and then called, "Kreacher!" To the arriving elf, he said, "A large pitcher of cold water and two glasses." Kreacher left and he turned to her. "I'll be back in a minute." Dropping his wand and holster, he walked to the water.

Fleur walked over to a shady area at the edge of the jungle and conjured two chairs and a small table. Kreacher placed the refreshments there and left. She watched him remove all the sand from himself as well as lower himself in the water. She was almost certain he was cooling off, both physically and emotionally. Although she tried to be unbiased and neutral, she did realize that a small part of her was attracted to him. Normally, she wasn't all that interested in boys three years younger than herself, but the magical power he welded did get her attention. It didn't hurt that he was moderately pleasant to look at.

Harry eventually returned and picked up the full glass that was waiting for him. "Thanks," he told her gratefully before he gulped half of it and dropped into the empty seat.

"This is a very nice place," she told him. "I think we will work on Charms and Transfiguration to make it better this afternoon." Looking at him with a slight smile, she said, "I believe you had a question for me."

Almost petulantly, he said, "I don't understand why you beat me. That's my best subject and I've held my own against Death Eaters."

Without losing her smile, she said, "I won because you let me win."

His eyebrows rose dramatically. "What? I didn't let you win, you beat me."

Shaking her head, "That is not true, at least not directly. Harry, I do not think I could beat you in a true fight unless I transformed into my Veela form. Even then, I would have a very hard time beating you." Holding up her hand as he was about to protest again, she asked him, "What is your strength as a fighter and how did I trick you into not using it?"

His brow furrowed this time as he thought it through. After a long moment, he told her, "I think my strength is being able to react well when thrown into danger, but I don't know how you tricked me to not use it."

"I think you do react well in dangerous situations, which is why our last duel lasted so long. That is not your best strength."

"It's not?" he replied quizzically. "Then what is?"

"Your magical power. You are a very strong wizard, Harry."

"I don't think I'm all that much better than anyone else, well…" he started to hedge. "There was that one time in third year when my Patronus fought off nearly a hundred Dementors, but other than that…" He stopped at her look.

Fleur was in shock. "Seriously? You have a corporeal Patronus and you repelled one hundred Dementors?"

"Err, yeah." He grabbed his wand from where she had set it on the table and thought for a moment. His last Christmas with Sirius came to mind. With that thought, he cast, "_Expectro_ _Patronum!_" His stag erupted from his wand as usual. Although he looked a little pale in the strong sunlight, it was still obvious that he was completely corporeal.

As if in a stupor, Fleur slowly stood and walked over to the white stag and petted it as it stood and looked at her. The power and magic in this Patronus gave her a small tingle, a good tingle. A short wave of sadness actually came over her as the stag disappeared.

Stepping back, she all but fell into her chair, looking at Harry in amazement. That was unheard of. Only the best at Beauxbatons could do a corporeal Patronus in their sixth year, and he had accomplished it in his third? Her Patronus wasn't that good.

"A swarm of Dementors were attacking my godfather, one that had only been made known to me shortly before, and it was the only way to save him."

Harry looked down, but his expression was a cross between sadness and fondness, Fleur thought. She hoped the fond memory would prevail. "Based on the stories I've heard, I think that is a good example of your power. You have much magical power, Harry. Do not let anyone tell you that is not so."

He nodded once in acknowledgement and with a pleased look on his face.

She wondered if he hadn't been told "well done" much in the past. "So, how did I prevent you from using your power?"

"I did well the first time and I used power to knock you down then," he reasoned out loud.

A nod and a smile acknowledged that as a correct answer.

"But then I lost the next two, so it was between the first and second duel…" Looking at her, he said, "You changed the rules of the duel."

"Bravo," she said with a double-clap of delight. "I convinced you to fight in a different 'environment'. It was one that gave me an advantage because you could not use your power. I do have two more years of school than you do and I used that to beat you." He snorted, but she could tell it was in admiration.

"It's so obvious now that you say it." He shook his head. "Now that I look back, I can see that every time I've fought, it's never been in a place I was prepared for. I always had to react, which may be why I'm so good at it," he finished with a grin.

"Perhaps, but think how much better you could do if you controlled the place you fought?" She watched him think that through and knew he was taking that to heart.

"I like that idea, but you were also right to change the rules. We can't hurt each other because there's no healer."

"That is generally true," she acknowledged. "I do know some healing spells, but we have to be careful. Think about this, Harry. Since you have power, you don't have to worry about that. So learn to fight without power. If you can do that well too, then you will be very hard to beat when you can use all of your magic."

A large smile came over him and she knew he understood. While she knew it was unrealistic, if all of her lessons went this well, she would be the best teacher ever.

"Will you show me some of the spells you used so I can learn them?" he asked. They spent the rest of the morning with her showing him a new spell and him practicing until he learned it.

— — —

After a lunch where she tried to keep to conversation casual instead about his classes, she excused herself to her room, promising to meet him on the beach in a little while to work on Charms and Transfiguration.

In her room, she pulled out all of her swim suits and laid them on the bed. An inspection made her wonder if she should have brought a few others. Finally, remembering her time at Hogwarts, she picked the brown one because it covered the most. She was reasonably certain Harry was not ready for some of her smaller ones, although she hoped to wear them one day and see his expression. To ease him into her wearing beachwear, she put her shorts back on over her bikini bottom and went to find him.

On the beach, she watched him shoot a few Blasting Hexes at the water. When a few obviously dead fish floated to the top of the small waves, she started to protest, only to stop when he summoned them and placed them in a bucket she hadn't noticed before. Kreacher was then called and given the bucket of fish for dinner. It was a way of fishing she had never thought of before and showed another example of his ingenuity.

"Good work, Harry," she told him, startling him a little. His expression made it obvious he was looking at her and her attire. She could tell he liked what he saw but he didn't leer or otherwise go overboard, which she appreciated. It also confirmed that she had made the right decision to wear shorts at the beginning of the afternoon along with the bikini top that covered the most.

"I wished all of my teachers dressed like that and looked so good," he commented, probably not intending to say that aloud based on his surprised look. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean … I mean…"

Fleur laughed at him. "It is fine, Harry. Thank you for the compliment." He was still blushing, which she found cute. "I noticed you going into the water this morning and thought that might be a good idea this afternoon after our work."

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak at the moment.

"I like this place very much. The greenery and beach are relaxing. The house is much nicer than I had expected. Also," she gave him her best smile, "you have been a good host." He turned a little pink again. "Let's make it a little better and practice our skills so I can see how well you can do."

Walking over to the edge of the jungle, she looked around for trees that would make good posts. "Show me your cutting charms and hexes, Harry. Clear the bushes and other plants here, but leave these four trees. Show me all the cutting spells you know."

He made quick work of the task and she observed that he knew all the spells for cutting that he should by the end of his fifth year.

Searching for a cut branch, she pulled it over. "Transfigure this into a board about the size of your wrist - around - and about five meters in length."

"Five meters?" he asked.

"Yes… Oh, you do not use meters?" When he shook his head, she said, "We use them in France. A meter is slightly longer than a yard, I think, so make it five yards long. We do not need to be exact."

He smiled and transfigured it.

She picked it up and examined it, then dropped it. It acted like a real board and didn't fall apart. "Very good. Make three more of those."

Pulling out her wand when he was done, she levitated it to be a foot above their heads and so the end at the back was near the tree and the extra was in front towards the water. "Attach it so it stays there, anyway you want."

He used a Sticking Charm so she could stop her Levitation Charm and then a transfigured rope to hold it more permanently.

"Do these too." She put the others up so there was a complete frame above them.

"Oh, I see. We're making a shelter," he said enthusiastically. "Brilliant!"

"Thank you," she told him brightly. "Use the large fern and palm leaves and attach them to the frame."

Fleur watched him work and was impressed. Doing spells in the classroom was easy, but using them for everyday life was the proof that you really knew them. "Very good job, Harry," she told him when he had finished; he blushed again.

She created a comfortable lounge chair under their new shelter and sat down. He conjured a simpler version she noticed. "Tell me about how you use charms and transfiguration on a daily basis, or how you would think they could be used."

They talked about that, along with him providing demonstrations at her request, for much of the afternoon.

"This has been great," he told her as they ended. "I feel like I really understand some of this now. It's so much more real."

"I am glad to have helped. Perhaps we could swim before dinner and cool off?" She watched him start pulling off his T-shirt. Yes, a year or two would turn him into a fine young man, she thought.

Fleur also noticed that he paused in going to the water when she started pulling off her shorts. There was a certain pleasure in seeing him admire her as she dropped them and walked to the water. Much of that pleasure was because he wasn't drooling, leering, or making a fool of himself; he admired silently with a smile.

As she came up out of the water after diving in briefly, she saw Harry put his glasses on the sand above the water line and run and dive in too. She frowned at the idea of his glasses and wondered what should be done.

"The shade was nice, but this is better," he told her.

"I like this. The waves are not too big, but big enough to enjoy."

Harry chuckled. "If you want bigger waves, go to the other side of the island. I think they built on this side because the waves are smaller."

"Could be," she said as she pushed off to swim a little, careful to keep her head above water. Yes, she thought, I could get used to living here.

— — —

After a simple dinner of fish and some vegetables, Harry handed her the Runes book he had started. She flipped through it for a moment since she was unfamiliar with it. "It is a good book for a beginner. It follows the older way of teaching Runes, but it is still good." She shrugged. "Some say they like the older method better; it is up to you. I can teach you from that or from another book as you wish."

Harry put the book down. "I think I'll stick with this one. What it says makes sense to me.

"Come with me to the beach," he suggested as he started walking towards the door and the rapidly darkening evening."

She followed him and carried sticks that he pointed out once his arms were full. At the beach, he dumped his arm load in a pile and had her add hers to the pile. As he scooped out a small pit, she finally understood and helped him prepare the small fire. As he started to pull out his wand, she said, "Allow me." Thinking about how Bill had tried to force her to stay behind to make herself a little upset, she conjured a ball of fire in her hand and threw it at the sticks and dried palm stalks in the pit. The kindling caught fire quickly.

"Thanks, that's handy," he said as he looked at her a little differently for a moment and then began to put a few larger sticks on the fire.

Wondering about his reaction, she asked as casually as she could despite her hurt feelings from the past and how people had treated her, "Am I different now?"

"A little," he answered quietly. "That ability makes you a little more … formidable … a person to be treated with extra respect, not just the normal respect I usually give people."

That was not the answer she had expected; he had surprised her again, as well as mollified her. His intense look over the flickering flames of the small fire was captivating, causing her to understand Ginny's interest in him.

"Being Veela isn't easy, is it?"

His insightful question gave her pause for a moment. "No, it's not. It's not easy being famous in your country, is it?"

"No it's not," he replied a little uneasily.

"Harry, I know I tried to tell you before, but I am very grateful to you for saving my sister in the lake. I know," she said hurriedly when he started to speak, "that you will say it was easy or that she was never in any danger, but I don't believe either to be true. You must understand that Veela and water do not go well together. I was only able to do that second task because I had swum before I matured and because of a great need. Normally, I will go in the water but I will not go under it, like this afternoon." She watched him consider her statement as she mentally begged him to accept it, for she was truly grateful for what he'd done.

After a long moment, he said, "I still don't think what I did was hard, but I'm glad I was able to make you feel better.

"What have you been doing since you finished Beauxbatons?" he asked.

Pleased that he was accepting of her, she told him about work. "I was hired by Gringotts soon after I finished school. They made me a liaison to their more important Wizards who do not like dealing with Goblins. When I am not doing that, I get to do small curse breaking tasks, usually on objects that are brought into the bank. It is a way for me to learn the profession. As you already know, I've also been taking English lessons. Bill Weasley has been teaching me some, as have a few other friends that I've met. What have you been doing since we last saw each other?"

Fleur was taken aback as his expression turned dark and she had to work to maintain her pleasant expression.

"Life hasn't been good," he said a little raggedly. As she stayed silent, he continued. "I assume you've heard about the difficulties with the Ministry not acknowledging that Voldemort has returned?"

"I have. It's one of the reasons I agreed to join the Order of the Phoenix. The other reason was the chance to make a difference by finding information about the Death Eaters."

He nodded to her as he listened. "How much did they tell you about me and this summer?"

She considered how to answer to accomplish her mission and yet not offend him. "I was told that you were upset by some things and left on your own. They did not tell me many details. They did say they were very concerned about you."

"Right," he snorted sarcastically.

"They are," she insisted. "Professor Dumbledore was very apologetic and…"

"No!" he shouted and interrupted her. "I don't want to hear about him because he's the cause of the whole mess. And I don't want to hear about my so-called _friends_," the word dripping with poison, "who turned traitor on me." He crossed his arms across his chest and glared at her.

"As you wish," she said carefully and softly, hoping to diffuse his angry and closed attitude. There were other things she could say, but didn't feel the time was right because she had not built up enough trust with him yet. "Do you think you'll return one day, no matter how far into the future it is?" He took so long to answer she thought he wouldn't.

"In my own time." Most of the anger was gone from his voice, or at least controlled, but there was no doubt it would be difficult to convince him to leave soon.

Not wanting to go further on difficult topics, yet not wanting to end the evening on a bad note, she asked, "Will you answer a personal question for me?" Before he could say anything, especially to deny her, she hurried on. "Am I the only Veela you've ever met other than my sister?"

His look changed to one of complete surprise and she congratulated herself for moving them away from the sensitive topics.

"Met, yes. At the Quidditch World Cup two years ago, the Bulgarian National Quidditch team's mascots were Veela, but I was in the top box and only saw them from a distance."

"Did you react to them?" she pressed.

"If you mean tried to do something foolish like some did, then no. Why?"

Fleur smiled at him, very happily. "Because you do not seem to be affected by my Veela allure and I find that interesting. I'm not trying to use it, but I'm not trying to control it either. You are allowing me to be my natural self and I thank you for that."

He blinked at her for a moment as if stunned. Slowly, he said, "You're welcome."

Standing up from her position in the sand, she saw him looking her over, from her legs up to the bikini top she was still wearing. His blush as he realized he had been caught looking amused her. "Maybe we can do this again? Yes? It is a good way to share I think."

"I think I'd like that too," he agreed while sounding a little lost in thought.

"If you don't mind, I would like to return to my room. I will see you in the morning."

"I'll stay here for a bit; good night then," he told her, relaxing his closed posture a little more.

"Good night, Harry."

Making her way back to the house by the light of her wand to help her stay on the path, she considered the conversation. While he might not have said much, it was very revealing to her. It also gave her great cause for concern. She thought Dumbledore's concern about Harry turning to "dark magic" was unfounded, yet she could see that Harry might become very bitter and vengeful if he didn't let go of his anger. It was a difficult situation that she was very unsure about what to do.

In her room, she pulled out a journal and began to write her thoughts down, as well as what was communicated, not just said. Writing it down helped her understand a few parts better, but there was no doubt this was a complicated problem. Perhaps tomorrow would give her more information.

* * *

(A/N: This was not beta'd.)


	3. Learning

(A/N: I'll have to give a gold star to reader AbbySalope who was the first to point out that since I was assuming the early years were as in the books, that Harry did in fact react to the Veela at the world cup. Upon researching that I do note that it said there a hundred Veela there. So I've changed the couple of paragraphs dealing with that in the last chapter to show he was affected, but Fleur pointing out that no wizard could resist that many Veela, but she was amazed he could resist a few at a time. That preserves the books and preserves my desire for Harry to act normally around the Delacour women. On with the show...)

* * *

**Chapter 3 - Learning**

(Tue, Jul 23)

The next morning was similar to the previous. As Fleur sat down to breakfast, Harry returned to the house after his morning jog. Conversation was light and there was no hint of discomfort from last night's conversation.

"Would you like a tour of the island?" he asked as they finished their morning meal. "Before we start our morning class," he tacked on hurriedly.

"If you think we have time," she said with a little curiosity.

"It won't take too long. There's not much here, but I still found it interesting.

"Oh, what classes did you want to address today?" he asked her with genuine curiosity.

She considered the question for a moment as she reviewed her plans from last night. "Since we reviewed Defense, Charms, and Transfiguration yesterday, let's do Potions this morning and Runes this afternoon. Then I will have a good idea of your progress for all your courses."

"Right, I think that will work. I'll be right back and then we'll go," he said with a grin.

His look made her think he might be up to something. Looking herself over, shorts and a T-shirt over her bikini, along with her hair in a ponytail, she thought she was ready for about anything he could throw at her.

He returned a moment later with his broom in hand. "I only have one broom for now, so you'll have to sit behind me … if that's fine with you," he added the last part hastily.

"An, an … air tour? I'm not sure that is the right word," she said a little frustrated. Some words still eluded her.

"An aerial tour," he supplied helpfully as he led her out the door and mounted his broom.

Fleur climbed on behind him and put her arms around his waist. He didn't look very muscular, but his middle was solid.

Harry took off slowly, climbing above the trees through an opening above the path to the beach. Circling, he pointed down and raised his voice. "As you can see, the house isn't very large. They did some serious space expansion charms."

"Probably wards since they're permanent," she corrected him automatically. At his curious expression she explained, "You can create the same effect of many charms with Runes, which makes them a ward. Wards are permanent as long as they have a power rune in the sequence. Charms are temporary and will eventually fail since they are powered only by the magic the caster used when they were cast."

"What about charms like a Permanent Sticking Charm?" he asked as he started to fly slowly towards their beach.

"They are misnamed like several other wards," she explained. "They are the ward version of the charm, but the 'charm' title was attached to it and it … stuck." She grinned wickedly at him.

He chuckled and glanced at her, then turned red as he looked forward hastily and turned to fly around the outside of the island over the beach, going faster now.

Fleur had been talking in a normal voice since she could rest her chin on his shoulder and talk into his ear. She assumed he just realized how close and cozy they were. She was certainly aware of how much they were touching at the moment and she found that she liked it. It was an interesting realization to her and one she'd have to ponder later.

"Most of the island is covered in trees?" she asked, looking down at the dense vegetation.

"Trees, ferns, shrubs - all wild. I've seen coconuts, bananas, oranges, what I think might be pineapple, and other things that are probably edible. I've instructed Kreacher to use only ripe and non-poisonous fruits and vegetables that he finds here before going to buy food at a market."

"Why would you have to tell him that?"

"Because I don't fully trust him," Harry said as he turned near the end of the island. "On this side, the waves are bigger and the beach slopes a little more. I'm not sure I'd want to swim over here."

"That's seems like good idea," she agreed as she viewed the rougher area they were passing over. "Why don't you trust the elf?"

Harry slowed their flight so he wouldn't have to talk as loudly over the wind as they headed towards the large hill on the other end of the island. "He's very devoted to his former master, Regulus, Sirius's younger brother. I was Sirius's heir and am now his true owner so he has to obey me; but because I wasn't born a Black he doesn't fully trust me, so I'm not completely sure about him. I try to be very careful with my orders to him, making sure I don't leave a loophole in them that he can twist to his advantage. I'd advise you to be careful with him too. I'm hoping that one day we'll fully trust each other, but I don't really know if that will happen."

"I see," she said, as she understood a little more about the situation.

"This hill," he said as the approached it, "is about the only really interesting thing here, other than whatever washes up on the beach. As you can see," he pointed down as he curved around the outside, "no beaches on this side as it goes straight down into the water and I think it becomes very deep very quickly. In fact, the shore drops off very quickly all around the island. You can see the color change in the water."

Indeed, she could see the water became much darker around fifty feet from the edge of the water on the side they normally visited and even sooner on the side where the waves were higher.

"To jog around the island I had to cut a path at the base of the hill. That's how I became so good with my cutting charms," he said with a grin as he turned back for the house. "My loop around the island is maybe two miles, so it's not that big overall."

It was a very lush place, but she had to agree that there wasn't very much here. However, it did accomplish what Harry wanted: a place away from those he didn't want to see and a safe place at that.

"Harry, have you considered clearing a small area and planting a garden?" she asked. "It would give you better access to food and a place to grow plants for potions. In this climate, you would not need a greenhouse."

He nodded as he started descending towards the house. "That's a good idea. It would give Kreacher something else to do and help to keep him out of trouble."

When they landed, Harry dismounted quickly and looked a little embarrassed, or so Fleur thought. "Get your Potions Kit and books and come to our classroom hut," she told him as she walked that way herself.

Harry was turning into a nice young man, she thought. Perhaps he wasn't quite as handsome as Bill, but Harry was handsome enough for her. Trying to be fair, she thought each had their good and bad points, but if Harry could drop his anger and bitterness then he could be the better catch. On the other hand, did she want to catch Harry? Would she be better off patching up her relationship with Bill? Standing near the hut and watching Harry hurry towards her, she also wondered if she could patch up the relationship with Bill if she stayed here beyond a few more days. She had noticed that Bill could be a little extra possessive about things that he considered his. He had admitted to her once that it was a common trait with all of his brothers, due to growing up in a large family and have having little that was personal.

Dropping a small stack of books on the table there, Harry asked, "How are we going to practice brewing potions when I don't have many ingredients?"

She smiled at him as she took a seat and motioned for him to take his. "We will discuss theory - mostly. I will also conjure a few things for you to prepare."

"But they won't work," he protested.

"True, they will not have any magical properties, but my goal is to see how you prepare ingredients and brew. If you do everything correctly with pretend ingredients, then the potions will work when you have the real ingredients."

He considered that. "Right, I can understand that, but part of brewing is watching the color and consistency, and sometimes the smell too."

"Very good, many students do not think of that before they start. I'm am not worried about that now. I want to see how you work. Later, you'll brew some real potions then you can use color and smell to help you." Grabbing one of his books (his third year book that was on the top), she flipped through it until she found a potion that needed a variety of preparatory techniques. Pulling her wand out, Fleur summoned some leaves to her and transfigured them into pretend potion ingredients.

"Start with this," she said as she handed him the book. Leaning back, she made herself comfortable and watched him in silence for a few minutes.

"Stop," she called quietly and he froze in mid-cut. "Harry, do you know why ingredients are to be sliced or cut into the same size parts? Do you understand why some potions take an ingredient and have you slice it, while others want it crushed?"

"Because the book said so." At her raised eyebrow, he added, "No, I don't really understand why. Snape never explained it and I don't remember reading about it."

Fleur sighed and reached for his books and pulled out his first year book. When she noticed he was becoming upset, she told him quietly, "I'm not upset with you, Harry; or I do not think I should be. I heard some horror stories about your Professor Snape and I wish to see if they are true. These are all the books you were required to purchase?"

Harry breathed a little easier. "Yes, plus my mother's for sixth and seventh year since I haven't had those years yet."

After a few moments Fleur put his book down and counted only six other books, one for each of the other years. "I do not think very highly your Professor Snape for using this book, or else not giving you another instructional book too. The two books I've looked in have the bare minimum of theory and nothing about proper preparatory techniques."

"That git!" Harry exclaimed.

Fleur chuckled, "I've learned that one," which caused Harry to chuckle too and lose most of his anger. "Let's go look in your library here for a good introductory book so I can be sure I don't miss anything. Otherwise, I will teach you what I can remember until I can get a good book for you."

It didn't take long for them to find an introduction to potions book with the name Lily Evans in the front. The rest of the morning was spent learning the basics, causing Harry to start to understand parts of the craft for the first time. Harry pretended the gentle feminine voice instructing him from the older book was his mother's. He also now understood why Hermione had spent so much time in the library, and especially on theory.

After lunch, a similar introductory session was taught for Runes. Both student and teacher were pleased with the day's education.

* * *

(Wed, Jul 24)

The next day they returned to Defense in the morning, with Fleur showing him how to use a few charms and transfigurations more effectively while fighting until they took a break in mid-morning.

Fleur thought that Harry looked a little distracted at the moment because he had missed a few easy shots and because he kept trying to take quick glances at her. She had not bothered with her shorts this morning and was wearing a modest bikini, charmed bright pink.

Deciding to try to take a little advantage of him to get some answers, she asked, "Harry, what's the real reason you left England?" She noticed that for some reason, he seemed to be lost in thought and staring at her feet, with her toenails painted pink to match her suit.

"Because everyone betrayed me," he said tiredly. "They said they cared, but when it really mattered, they abandoned me. When I really needed them this summer, they ignored me, as they've done before and this time it was just too much."

He sounded so full of pain it almost broke her heart, but she had to go on. "Then why do they want you to come back?" she asked softly, wanting to know how he viewed the situation.

His eyes leapt to hers and almost seemed to blaze with fire; his nostrils flared as he took a deep breath and said with an angry and cold voice, "Because they want their weapon back to kill Voldemort. They just want me to come back and do a job they don't want to do themselves, nothing more." Pushing himself up out of his chair so violently the chair almost fell over in the sand, he marched back to the house leaving her heart racing in surprise after that outburst.

Fleur decided he needed time to cool off and she needed time to think and plan, so she continued to sit under the hut and stared at the waves. The phrase "as they've done before" echoed in her mind. She strongly wished that she had one of his friends here to give her some history.

Deciding it had been long enough, she walked back to the house as well and found him sprawled in a chair in front of the unlit fireplace with a book in his lap. However, it was obvious he wasn't really reading it. "Thank you for answering my question," she told him, hoping she'd be able to get through to him. "I'd like to help you, but I don't fully understand what's going on. You said 'before' as if this has already happened once. If you can help me understand, I promise to try to help you."

He looked at the book, drumming his fingers on it for a long moment before he looked up. "I'll think about it," he said a little forcefully but without anger. Standing up suddenly again and walking across the room, he said, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can learn anything right now; I'll be back in time for lunch." Grabbing his broom from where it stood against the wall, he left.

Without much else to do, she went to her room to review her lesson plans for the afternoon, hoping she'd receive answers to her questions.

— — —

Lunch was a quiet affair. Harry wasn't rude; in fact, he was very polite - a perfect example of an English gentleman. What he wasn't was talkative, so Fleur ate in silence and wondered if today was the day he told her to leave, or if she'd find out the truth about what was going on. She honestly thought there was no middle ground. Well, he could just not answer anything, but she didn't think that was very likely. Her opinion was that Harry was a person - a man - of action, so it would be one extreme or the other.

"Kreacher!" he called.

"Yes, master?" the elf answered as he walked in from the kitchen, his attitude still with a hint of defiance.

"Follow me, please. Fleur?" he looked at her. "If you would also come?"

"Of course, Harry."

The two followed the young man out after he grabbed his broom again. About halfway to the beach, he turned to the left and walked away from the path a short distance before he stopped. The other two looked at him, wondering what was going on.

"This place seems to be the largest clearing near the house."

Fleur looked up and saw only a little bit of the strong sunlight coming through the upper foliage. While there weren't many trees directly in front of her, she could hardly see the ground due to all the greenery growing.

"Kreacher, I want you to clear an area here for a garden to grow vegetables and plants for potion ingredients. Expand it back towards the path until it's big enough to support the three of us. Put the small stuff you cut down on the beach near where I build the fire pit. The larger stuff you can stack for burning in the fireplace or the kitchen stove when we need it. Trim the upper limbs so we get enough light here. Don't exhaust yourself, but work on this whenever you have time. I'd like to be able to plant next week."

The elf looked around then doubtfully said, "As master wishes. Kreacher will start after he has put away the dishes." He left with a pop.

"Hmm, I wonder why he didn't seem very positive," Harry said with a shrug before looking at Fleur. "Follow me, please."

He led her to the beach where he mounted his broom and scooted forward. His expectant look caused her to understand and get on behind him. Taking off not nearly as gently as last time and causing her to hold onto him a little tighter, they soon were at the top of the hill at the end of the island. The view was nearly as good as from the broom; she could see nothing beyond the island but water for kilometers.

Taking the seat he conjured for her, she stayed silent but hoped for an honest answer from him.

Harry leaned forward, elbows on his knees and looked at his clasped hands. "I don't know that I can fully explain how I feel, but you do deserve an answer as I think you are the only person that has no expectations from me, other than being my friend. Or at least I hope so." He looked at her with an implied question.

Fleur smiled encouragingly at him and nodded as she forced a few other recent thoughts about him away.

"I grew up in what I consider hell for children. There are a few bad things that didn't happen to me, thankfully, but just about everything you don't think should happen to children did happen to me from the time my parents died until I left for Hogwarts. Receiving my letter to go to that school was a like a miracle. I thought no more relatives and a place to finally have friends for the first time.

"Except that I found out that the Headmaster of this new school put me with my unloving and hateful relatives. Still, I was so grateful to leave I forgave him that - at the time. Mostly, life was pretty good in that first year; I even made something like friends. I say it that way because now that I look back at it, I do wonder how that happened. I guess we shared a bonding experience, but I think I shouldn't have been friends with a person who treats me like I always need help and a person who's continually jealous of me. But I seemed to have friends," he said with a shrug. "I don't know, maybe they were my friends because I'd never ever had any before and was afraid to let go."

Harry took a deep breath. "You might call that good until you realize I was almost killed three times that year and the adults in the school were generally nearby and did little to nothing. I'll admit that I probably didn't help matters by sticking my nose in a few places that should have been left alone, but when the adults put you in dangerous places or allow dangerous events to happen, like fighting a troll and facing Voldemort twice, what's an eleven year-old to do?"

Fleur was somewhat shocked, but realized his question was rhetorical and kept silent to hear more.

"I killed a man at the end of my first year and all the adults could do was to pat me on the head and send me back to my hateful relatives.

"My second year, students were petrified and a professor, who was so incompetent he shouldn't be allowed a wand, removed all the bones from my arm." He held it up for a second to show it was fixed. "At the end, with a little help from a friend, I figured out what was going on and had to rescue a girl and kill a sixty foot basilisk with a sword at the end of the year. Where were the adults and why didn't they deal with the monster or at least close the school at Christmas after the first person was petrified until they could figure it out?"

He shook his head with exasperation. "I would have died in that fight except for being healed by a phoenix, which luckily came to help me. To top it off, most of the school accused me of causing the petrifications and the adults did nothing to stop the stories after I told them it wasn't me and they said they believed me.

"Third year, I found out my godfather is supposedly trying to kill me, but almost no one had the guts to tell me during the summer. My supposed friend's father told me a little about it, but no one would give me any details about the man. I suppose a good thing that year was that I learned how to defend myself from Dementors, but why did I have to do that? Because the adults thought it would be good to put a small army of the monsters at a school of children who can't defend themselves from said monsters. And when the Dementors swarmed me and my defenseless godfather, how many adults were there to help?" Sarcasm dripped from his voice. "None is the correct answer.

"Oh, that year also allowed me to experience a small taste of my first betrayal by a close friend, who had my new broom taken away from me just because we didn't know who gave it to me and she was _afraid_ the gift was meant to kill me. While you might think she was trying to help me, and a small part of me understands, it was the fact that she went behind my back to a teacher to confiscate it that hurt so much."

Harry sat up and ran his hands through his hair. "The icing on the cake that year was finding out that my godfather was actually innocent, but then finding out that I couldn't live with him. As Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, I'm sure there was something Dumbledore could have done to help him and let me leave my relatives, but the old man didn't lift a finger. Sirius had to live on the run and only write me the occasional letter when he could."

A grim chuckle escaped for a few seconds. "I should probably also point out that my third year was when I found out that two other friends of my parents were still alive. One was my Defense teacher that year. He took his time telling me that he knew my parents and never apologized for not looking me up for the past twelve years. The other was an unregistered Animagus who betrayed my parents, allowing Voldemort to kill them and sending my godfather to prison without a trial; and he lived in my dorm room for three years as my friend's pet rat before he left to find Voldemort to resurrect him - creepy."

Fleur blinked slowly, trying to make sense of that. She understood each point, but the totality left her head spinning.

"Fourth year you're probably familiar with. I was forced into the Triwizard Tournament by a Polyjuiced Death Eater, a supposed old friend of the Headmaster who couldn't figure out that teacher wasn't really his old friend. If the Death Eater hadn't been giving me hints on ways to deal with the tasks, I'm sure I would have been toasted or drowned. Of course, at the end of the third task, I was captured, used to resurrect Voldemort, tortured, and had to fight my way back to the school where the Minister for Magic himself said I was lying and then had the witness who could have verified it all killed with a Dementor." He looked at her for a moment. "I never did figure out why or how he had a real Dementor with him at the Tournament, nor why it was supposedly safer to have around than a few Aurors."

Shaking his head, Harry continued. "While resurrecting Voldemort was horrible, the big issue that year was having my supposed best friend hate me for a month, then get angry with my other best friend because she had a date to the Yule Ball and he didn't. Getting caught in the middle was no picnic.

"I'm sure you remember the buttons that Malfoy spread around. I mention it because I want you to remember what the teachers did about that insulting attack - nothing.

"Of course, we can't forget that Cedric was killed in front of me. Again, I was sent back to my hateful relatives with nothing more than a 'have a pleasant summer'.

"That summer, last summer, was the first time I felt mass betrayal. The adults isolated me and my so-called friends ignored me. While they sent a couple of very short notes, there were no real letters or visits, at least until I was attacked by two Dementors. I later found out they were sent after me by the Ministry, but at the time, I defended myself and my cousin the bully and nearly had my wand snapped by the Ministry for surviving.

"That caused The Order to whisk me away to somewhere else. I got to spend some time with my godfather that way, but it was otherwise not a great place to be. Oh, and one of the other adults did her best to keep me away from my godfather while at his house.

"Last school year, the Ministry sent a toad of a woman to be our Defense teacher. She didn't teach us anything useful when we needed it most. She also made me use a Blood Quill enough I have a scar." He held up his hand and she gasped as she read the scar, not paying his hand any real attention before.

"Besides being tortured by that teacher, Dumbledore thought it brilliant to have Snape, who seems to hate me as much as I hate him, teach me Occulmency. I'll admit that I should have refused, but when two teachers tell you to do it, and your godfather agrees that it's a skill you should have even though he hated Snape as much as I did, I took the instruction. The man tortured me plain and simple and I don't believe I really learned any of the skill from the bastard.

"At the end of the year, I was lured from the school by a false vision, with no trustworthy adults available to ask for help; they were all gone at the same time. My so-called friends came with me and we all fought Death Eaters until my godfather was killed and Voldemort possessed me for the longest minute of my life.

"After that fight to the death, Dumbledore then had the wonderful idea to tell me about a prophecy concerning my possible death, which I'll get to in a moment. If that wasn't enough, he even admitted that he knew I'd have a hard life with my relatives … who he sent me back to once again without nothing more than 'sorry about your godfather'.

"And we're finally to this summer. I guess my friends hated me for what happened during the fight at the Ministry because they again cut me off and ignored me with nothing more than a couple of short notes, hinting someone's mother wouldn't like it. I pleaded with them for real letters or a visit. The closest thing to an answer that I received was from two new friends that I didn't know very well telling me that they hadn't heard anything helpful.

"Again I ask, where are the adults? They're ignoring me too, even those who know about the prophecy. You see, some crackpot said that I was the one who would make a difference … that I was the equal of the Dark Lord and would kill him or be killed by him. I think that's daft and all kinds of stupid, but Voldemort believes it and won't leave me alone. Am I ready to face him?" Harry laughed bitterly. "No one has done a thing to really prepare me to fight him until now. You, Fleur, have done the most to prepare me with our mock fights … believe it or not, and only because I forced it by running away."

Harry sighed and leaned over again, running his hands through his hair. "I can't take it any more. Even punching bags can only be hit so many times before they start to fall apart. Maybe if my friends were there and the adults did things to show they actually cared, but they don't … they don't. It doesn't matter how many people I see killed or how I'm abused, they just want their weapon. I can't think of any other explanation that makes sense of it all."

It really hadn't been hard to stay silent through all of that. Fleur was shocked that one person could go through that much in such a short time. She was all but certain there was more to the stories, other information and facts, but she realized that to Harry, it really didn't matter. He had experienced, as he said, hell. As she considered it all, she had to wonder - at least a little - if he was slightly insane, at least for the moment. Knowing she had to do something, yet could find no words to help, she reached up and gently put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed a little to show her support of him.

He looked up with an expression of appreciation. "If you can help with that," his voice broke, forcing him to pause, "I'll take whatever you can give me."

"That's a lot Harry and I'll have to think about it. If I stayed here longer, would that help?"

"I think so, as long as you keep your promise." His look pleaded with her.

"I'll never force you back, Harry, but I think you should go back one day. One day when you're ready." Reaching over with her other hand, she gripped both shoulders and pulled him up and to her and gave him a hug. He returned it, holding her tightly. There was nothing romantic about it, just a hurting person who needed to know someone cared about him and a person offering momentary comfort.

Realizing he was wiping his eyes by the way his arms moved, she waited a moment longer before she released him. "Are you going to be fine for now? For today?"

He nodded with a slightly forced smile. "For today, and thanks."

Fleur gave him a caring smile and a nod. "Then let's go back to the house and get something cold to drink," she suggested. "It's very warm up here even with the breeze."

The wind through her hair and over her during the broom ride helped to cool her off, as did the cold drink. She cancelled the lessons for the afternoon and let him read a spell book, which gave him fits of laughter occasionally. She wonder what spell he was reading about and who he wanted to cast it on, but she was glad that he was in a lighter mood now.

She took the time to write in her journal, recording the revelations she had learned today and her thoughts about them. It seemed that for every question she had answered now, two more about the situation had sprung up. The explanation of the prophecy answered a lot of her questions about odd things, but it created a number of others - mostly revolving around the actions of the adults in Harry's life.

Then there was the questions raised about his friends, or so-called friends as he put it. She knew some of the answers, but could tell he still wasn't ready to hear them. He was closer to that point, but he wasn't there yet. Since he had acknowledged that two new friends had written him back, perhaps she could use that to show that not everyone had betrayed him. The adults though, that would be difficult and she could understand his view. She felt fortunate that he saw her as near his age.

There was one conclusion she could not miss, however. Despite their new understanding after their talk today, she was still going to have to be careful, just like she had been with Ginny's letters lest Harry destroy them before he was emotionally ready to read them.. Fortunately, she did have a few fragments of an idea about how to ease the strain by the end of the day. One part even made her smile to herself.

* * *

(Thu, Jul 25)

Fleur awoke a little earlier than usual, allowing her to hear Harry leave for his morning run. After visiting the bathroom, she decided to put an idea she had had last night into motion. She slipped on her black bikini, which was a little smaller than the ones she had been wearing since she'd been here, although still more modest than she normally wore to public beaches. She wanted to know if Harry had any interest in her and thought she'd start this way.

Dropping her towel and wand on a chair under their hut a few minutes later, she walked into the sea in front of her, going just past where the waves were breaking and into smoother water, and began to swim leisurely, keeping her head above the water to watch for Harry returning.

It was good exercise she knew, and it allowed her to become more comfortable in bodies of water, something all Veelas had to work on. She had absolutely hated going under water in the lake at Hogwarts, and had done so only because of great need.

As she began to tire, she finally saw Harry run slowly up the beach from the direction of the hill. Turning in, she did her best to leave only her head visible even as she found the sand with her feet and had to sort of squat for her shoulders to remain mostly under. When it was obvious that Harry saw her and slowed to a walk, Fleur rose to her full height and walked out of the water, exaggerating her walk almost to a strut. She was pleased that Harry's eyes seemed to be glued to her and he had a simple smile.

"Good morning, Harry." She strode slowly by him to retrieve her towel.

Harry had to clear his throat twice before he could talk, and even then his voice sounded a little pinched. "Good morning, Fleur. Did you decide to go for a morning swim?"

She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see him wince and look down as he realized he'd said something stupid. Ignoring his gaff, she replied, "Yes. I do not wish to jog, but I agree that some exercise would be good. Did you have a good run?"

"Err, yeah, yeah I did. I made it a little over half way before I had to slow down."

"Good. Shall we go have breakfast? I'm starving." She started walking slowly back to the house and noticed it took him a moment to join her. Hoping that she had read the situation correctly, she asked, "Since you seem to be in no hurry to return to England, I assume you don't have a girlfriend, no?"

"Uh, no." He sighed. "I can't imagine any girl would really want me; I'm a real mess most of the time." His look turned darker. "Besides, the few that I'd be willing to consider don't like me that way and I don't particularly care about them now."

"I see," she said carefully, mentally amazed at how easily he changed at any hint of his friends. "Then you shall have to find a girl from somewhere else. It is good you don't have a girlfriend now," she said a little coyly, wondering if he'd take the bait.

"Why?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Smiling at the small win she told him, "Because very few girlfriends would allow their boyfriend to be alone with a Veela. I had only a few friends at Beauxbatons because most girls see me as competition even when I was merely present."

"That's not fair," he retorted, upset for her.

"It's not," she answered lightly as they approached the door to the house, "but life is rarely fair. I'll see you at breakfast."

Speeding to her room, she smiled to herself. He was interested she could tell and ideas had been planted - she hoped. Harry was not stupid, she could tell. The question was if he would act on his interests. To help them along, she slipped on an overly large white T-shirt and left her attire like that. Flirting was fun.

Breakfast was much like normal, but Harry seemed to smile and glance at her a little more.

The rest of the morning was spent looking at Norse Runes, understanding them, their magic, and how they could be used in simple magical applications rather than for telling stories.

— — —

Shortly after lunch, a ball of flame burst into their presence and Fawkes settled onto their table under the hut as Harry was practicing drawing runes. Fawkes dropped a letter in front of Fleur and trilled.

"Hello to you too," she answered as she caressed his long neck for a moment before picking up the letter. Harry took up the petting as she read. Realizing there was a second letter inside, she handed the missive with Harry's name on it to him.

Harry looked at it as if it was detestable.

As she finished reading her short letter, she noticed Harry conjuring an envelope and a small metal plate. Placing the letter on the plate, he casted a mild fire spell at it and watched it burn. When it was nothing but ashes, he dumped them into the new envelope and sealed it before handing it to her. "If you would include this with yours, please?" he asked very politely.

She accepted it with a grin for the contradictory behavior. Putting hers on the table, she said, "It's as you can imagine, wanting to know how we are and when we're coming back."

Reaching for Harry's quill and some parchment, she wrote two short notes, letting Harry read them as she wrote. She hoped this openness would build more trust between them. Conjuring an envelope also, she put her letters and Harry's envelope in it.

"Fawkes," she placed the envelope in front of him. "Please take this to the Headmaster when you're ready. You're welcome to spend the afternoon here."

The eternal bird trilled and took flight towards the water with the envelope still on the table. The two humans watched the bird do his version of fishing, swooping to the water.

"What did you mean in the second letter?" Harry finally asked.

Fleur looked at him for a moment. "I mentioned staying here longer. If I do, then arrangements will have to be made. I think we must have this conversation now, before Fawkes takes the letter, in case I need to change it.

"Do you really want me to stay, Harry? I will continue to be your teacher and friend, possibly more in the future." His light blush was amusing to her and gave her hope. "I will work you very hard, but we will also have time for fun. I like it here, but we will also travel a little - not to England. You will continue to provide food and other necessities in return. I will have other needs, but you are under no obligation to meet them. We will discuss them as they happen and you can choose to help or not. The final condition is that when the training is done, when you can hold your own as an experienced adult wizard, then we will return to England."

His eyes narrowed.

"No," she stopped his protest with a word and a raised hand. "You will be under no requirement to do anything there other than to live. Live and do what you conscience requires, nothing more. You can not be isolated forever. You will go insane one day if you do. A friend would not let another friend go insane."

Harry leaned back in his chair and exhaled deeply as if in frustration before starting to look around.

Fleur sat there relaxed by the breeze and the sound of the surf, as well as satisfaction for finally saying what she had been wanting to say ever since she had arrived. She watched his eyes dart around, evaluating. It wasn't hard to realize he was comparing being here to being back in England. His eyes came to her and slowly slid up. She was quite sure her black bikini was visible through her T-shirt and she hope he found it/her alluring. Finally, he just looked her in the face for a long time, judging her no doubt.

"How long?"

"If fighting were all you needed to learn, then we could be done by Christmas. But you need to find peace, Harry. I don't know exactly how long that will take," she told him truthfully.

"I don't think I can forgive them again."

"I didn't say you had to forgive them," she corrected him as his gaze became piercing. "I said you needed to find peace. Forgiveness will make peace easier, but it's not required."

He turned to the sea and stared, as if searching for an answer from it. "Very well," he said grudgingly, "but only because you're my friend."

"Friends help each other, even when it's difficult."

With a small nod for acknowledgement, he told her, "I'll be back in a moment."

Fleur reflected that she had won a major battle and came away relatively unscathed. She hoped she would be as fortunate in the next battle.

A moment later, Harry flew by her on his broom and whizzed by Fawkes, causing the bird to chase after Harry. As she watched the aerial antics of the two, she realized that Harry used flying as his escape from pressure. Now she considered that perhaps she hadn't fared as well as she had first thought.

— — —

Albus Dumbledore read the short letters in front of him in the privacy of his Hogwarts office. The public letter that he would share soon was reasonably positive. Taken with the private letter for him only, there was a more neutral outlook and he appreciated the confidentiality of the French witch. He didn't think she would be as aggressive in trying to make Harry return as he would have liked, but there was no doubt that she was doing her best for Harry.

Grindalwald had once chided him about not paying attention to the details. Albus had seen the details well enough in 1945 to end that reign of terror, but his old friend was correct in regards to Harry. Albus knew he had made far too many mistakes with young Harry, most caused by inattention.

Putting the private letter in his desk, he put the other in a pocket before going over to his avian friend and running a hand over him in greeting. "Is Harry truly safe, my friend?" Fawkes trilled happily and moved his head up and down. "Is Harry happy?" Fawkes gave a sad trill and shook his long neck. "Then I suppose I must let this holiday and Miss Delacour work their own brand of magic to heal Harry." Fawkes trilled agreement. "I wonder if something will happen between them as they spend so much time alone. I would not have guessed to pair them together, but I am often surprised by what time and love can do." Fawkes trilled happily again.

Noticing it was time, Albus took the Floo to The Burrow. The living room was quite full, all wanting to hear Fleur's report.

"I want to thank everyone for coming tonight, as well as all the good work you do. Before we hear from Fleur, do we have any other business?"

Arthur cleared his throat lightly, causing all eyes to turn to him. "I'm not positive, but I believe I've found someone at the Ministry who might be under the Imperius." There were several gasps and many grave looks.

"Kingsley, could you meet with Arthur after the meeting and get the details. Perhaps the person could be discreetly escorted to St Mungo's for evaluation?" Albus suggested.

"Of course, Professor," the Auror agreed before giving a nod to Arthur.

"Severus?" Albus looked to his spy who was standing by the door.

"The Dark Lord is in a research mood and I don't believe there are any major initiatives under way. However, I did hear someone say they were to make quiet inquiries at the Ministry to see who was amenable to the cause."

"Is there any interest in Harry?" Albus asked.

"The Dark Lord has expressed none, nor asked about the boy."

"I suppose we can count our blessing for the moment then," Albus said in a genial way as he pulled the letter out of his pocket. All eyes were on it as he unfolded it; Bill seemed particularly interested. "Fleur writes:

_Professor Dumbledore,_

_I am doing well here as is Harry. You need not worry about our safety. We have a secluded sanctuary with many wards over the area. I counted at least 8 when I checked. All are very powerful._

_I have had several interesting conversations with Harry and I think I understand his views a little better now. I am sad to say that he is not ready to come back yet. I will continue to talk to him about it and I am sure he will return one day._

_We have been working on Harry's training and trying to fill in any gaps in his learning. He is doing remarkably well. If you have his OWL scores, please have them available at the next meeting._

_If you would, please send Fawkes back in two days. I need to return shortly to handle a few matters left undone due to my sudden departure. I will make a statement to the group in three evenings on the 28th. We can also discuss what to do next._

_Best Regards,_  
_Fleur Delacour_"

People looked at each other, most smiling, but some - including the Weasleys and Hermione - showed mixed emotions.

"Overall," Albus said a little loudly to bring order back to the meeting, "a fairly positive outcome so far. It seems as though Miss Delacour has gained Harry's trust. She was a good suggestion, Miss Granger." He nodded to the blushing teen. "Please keep a watch for anything of interest and let me know of any urgent matters immediately, otherwise you can bring them to our attention in three evenings at our usual time."

Albus did not fail to notice the five teens, including Fred and George, putting their heads together and not looking overly happy.

* * *

(A/N: I think the next chapter is one that many people have been waiting for. :)  
This was not beta'd.)


	4. Feelings

(A/N: I think this chapter will answer several questions that many of you have.

Since so many are asking about Ginny's letters, I guess I'm failing and not communicating well ... or else many of you are impatient. :) At the moment, Fleur is protecting the letters. This is discussed in this chapter and has been here from the beginning. I've added a statement about them back in ch 3 a few days ago. Never fear, the "post" will go thru and Harry will read them. My outline says so. :)

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Feelings**

(Sat, 27 Jul)

Fleur was packing her small bag with most of her things. Her swimsuits and other summer wear that she would only wear on the island were being left.

Walking out to the main room, she saw Harry sitting there very quietly and almost absently stroking Fawkes, who had arrived after lunch.

"Harry, I won't be gone that long, two or three days at the most."

He gave her a wan smile. "I know. It's just … I've become used to you being here." He looked down as if unable to look into her eyes.

She let a light chuckle out. "I've enjoyed our time together too and it will continue unless there is a very serious emergency at home. If there is, I'll send you a letter and return as soon as I can. That should not happen though.

"Until I return, you have your homework. To give you extra motivation to learn silent casting," she gave him a teasing grin, "I will stop saying my spells after I return."

Harry gulped. "That will make it a lot harder on me."

"Yes it will." She was enjoying the moment of fun at his expense. "So if you wish to do well against me, you must not say your spells either. Also, I'll teach you to Apparate after I return.

"My list to buy includes books for sixth and seventh years, an introduction to Potions especially with preparatory techniques, and a decent broom for me." He had been adamant about the last item, she remembered with amusement. "Is there anything else I need to bring back?"

Harry fished in a pocket of his shorts and handed her a small golden key. "I need to know about my accounts. I don't know what we'll need in the future and I can't imagine going to Gringotts will be easy."

"You trust me with this?" She marveled at him; he surprised her in unusual ways.

"I do, especially as the vault is now empty," he told her with a mischievous grin. "While you're at Gringotts, can you please find out about the Black family vault? I'd like to see a statement for it. Also, I've always wondered if there is a Potter family vault and if there is, get a statement for it. All I've ever been told about is my school vault which I recently emptied. I think that's all."

"Yes, I can do that. Now, remember your promise to me." She lifted one eyebrow to prompt him.

"I remember: no leaving the island while you're gone," he replied in a sing-song manner and a grin.

"And I shall add one more," she said imperiously, "no girls coming either. You need to study."

As he went wide-eyed at the suggestion, she chuckled at his reaction. "I'm teasing, Harry. Do have a little fun, but don't forget you homework." Walking up to him, she grabbed his shoulders and pressed her checks to both of his, causing him to blush.

"Do you remember your promise to me?" he asked quickly, as if afraid they wouldn't have time to discuss it before she left.

"I do and I will uphold it. Take care until I return. Fawkes, can you take me to my parents' home, please?" She grabbed her small bag and held up the other hand. Fleur grabbed Fawkes's tail feathers as he flew over and she was gone.

Harry sighed before he picked up the book he had been reading about casting silently and tried to remember the lesson that Fleur had given him on this topic.

— — —

Fawkes took Fleur to the front door of her parents' house before leaving with a last minute note for the Headmaster. Walking into the house, a house-elf popped in and took her things, as well as directed her to the house's study.

"Mother!" Fleur called as she entered the study and found the woman at the desk doing paperwork.

"Fleur?! What are you doing here?" The beautiful woman who looked like a much older sister to Fleur hurried over to give her daughter a hug. "Shouldn't you be at Gringotts working? They didn't let you go, did they?"

"No, Mother. I'm on a leave of absence at the moment, something I want to talk to you about," she said with a little trepidation in her voice.

Apolline Delacour looked her daughter over at arm's length. "Please tell me this isn't about some boy turning your head? Maybe that red-headed English boy you were telling me about?"

"Bill? No, it's not about him, at least not directly." At her mother's doubtful look, Fleur led her mother over to the chairs near the unlit fireplace. "I've only dated Bill a few times and we're not serious in any way; we're only friends. But while I was with him, he introduced me to a group of people who are trying to fight the rising Dark Wizard Voldemort."

Her mother looked fearful and exasperated for a moment. "Please tell me you didn't get involved with them? I don't want to lose a daughter to some stupid war. The English made a disaster of their last one."

"Yes, Mother, I'm involved, but not like you think. I joined to help them gather information and nothing more. However, I've been given an unusual assignment. There is a young man that they believe will help them end the war, but they treated him very badly and he ran away. They needed someone who knew him to talk to him and try to get him to return to England."

"I supposed you went?" Apolline's disposition was still critical.

"I thought it would last only a week. It's also very safe where he is; there is no chance of attack." Fleur sighed. "But I have found out things that I'm unsure of and I need advice."

Her mother leaned back in her chair and examined her carefully. "Since you are asking my advice, I assume you like him? Have I heard of him?"

"I think I do like him - a lot. I find him very interesting and almost feel drawn to him. A part of that is he's naturally resistant to my Allure."

A surprise look came over Apolline and she sat there for a long moment in stunned silence.

"He also is very powerful magically, giving him two of the most desired traits that most Veela find attractive … as do I."

"Go on," her mother said quietly and more thoughtfully.

"His name is Harry Potter and he's the one who rescued Gabrielle in the Triwizard Tournament almost two years ago," Fleur added a little impishly, building Harry up.

Apolline continued to sit there in silent surprise. "Seriously?" she finally asked. "The boy that shouldn't have been entered and is, what, three years younger than you are? The boy that survived a Killing Curse as a baby?"

"Yes, Mother, that Harry Potter; the boy who won the Tournament," she said, a little defiantly now. "He has such power, more than I do. He's also very pleasant to be around and intelligent." When her mother didn't say anything for a moment, she added, "I know I can return to the Veela Colony this fall, but I'm sure Harry would help with my need. I flirted with him and he is interested in me."

Her mother dropped her face into her hands and muttered, "There are days I wished I wasn't a Veela."

"Fleur! You are here!" Gabrielle shouted as she ran into the room and gave her sister a hug.

"And there's the second reason," Apolline murmured to herself.

"What are you talking about that makes Mother look put out with you? Did you do something bad?" Gabrielle asked teasingly.

"We're talking about a boy, Harry Potter. Do you remember him?" Fleur teased back.

"How could I not. Are you going to date him?" Gabrielle asked excitedly.

"I'm thinking about trying to, if he wants me."

Gabrielle snorted. "That's funny, how could he not? You're a Veela and pretty and all you have to do is zap him."

"Gabrielle! How many times have I told you…"

"Mother! I'm only teasing her about zapping him." Gabrielle turned to look at Fleur and rolled her eyes as only a twelve year-old could do.

Fleur laughed at her sister's antics. "It wouldn't do any good. He's immune to my Allure."

"Ooh!" her sister squealed and clapped her hands. "It's serious then." Her demeanor changed instantly. "If you decide you don't want him, let me know. I think he's dreamy."

Apolline dropped her head again and moaned softly, as one girl laughed and the other giggled at her.

"Since I need to be near him to get to know him better and to find out if if he's the one for me, what do I do about Gringotts, Mother?" Fleur tried to bring them back on track.

* * *

(Sun, 28 Jul)

Very few in the Wizarding World were religious like some Muggles were, so Diagon Alley was operating like normal on this Sunday morning. The Goblins had their own special holidays, but this wasn't one of them, so she walked into the open bank. She thought her timing was excellent as Bill rarely worked on Sundays and she didn't really want to talk to him now. There was no escaping this evening though.

Pulling her bank badge out, she showed it to the manager of the clerks to prove her identity as an employee. "I am Liaison Fleur Delacour, here in proxy for a customer. I need to take copies of his statements to him. He hasn't ever received anything."

"He probably didn't request them as required," the goblin growled as he reached for his magical ledger book.

"Perhaps not, but he wishes to correct that," she informed him, sure that Harry would if he knew. She had forgotten to tell him of the need. She had been a little distracted by him when she was leaving. "In the future, quarterly statements will be sufficient."

"Name?"

"Harry James Potter-Black. Here is his key for his old vault to prove he sent me. He doesn't have an identity disk." She placed the vault key on the desk as the goblin looked up at her quickly, but she couldn't determine why. "He wants statement for all of his vaults: the Black family vault, and the Potter family vault if there is one."

The goblin grabbed the key and held it for a moment. "This vault is closed, but identity verified." He called a younger goblin over and requested something in the Goblin language as well as handed the old key to the assistant.

Returning to the immediate task, he flipped the book to the correct page, grabbed a crystal and touched it to an entry in the book, then touched the crystal to a stack of parchment. He did that twice more before handing her the top of the stack that now had the duplicated writing. "The standard fees for this service will be applied."

"Of course." She knew better than to argue.

The young assistant returned and handed a small golden disk, which was a little larger than a Galleon, to the manager. The manager handed it to Fleur. "His identity disk for the future."

She pocketed it. "Thank you for your time and effort." She received a grunt as the goblin returned to his previous work.

Fleur turned and headed for the offices, hoping that Snortroc was available and that she didn't have to wait too long to see him.

During her walk, Fleur sneaked a look at the statements in her hand. She was pleased to see that the Potters were almost as well off as the Delacours. The Black account added nicely to Harry's worth. The last account was Harry's school account, which showed a nice balance that had recently fallen to zero. His wealth led her to believe they were a good match socially.

If she could get him over his anger and bitterness, then he would be an excellent mate, despite the fact that Veela normally pursued older men for their extra maturity. While Harry still had more maturing to do physically, his life had matured him in other ways, something she found sad although it benefited her. Her changing feelings about him had surprised her at first, but now she enjoyed them.

She knocked on Snortroc's door and waited. A moment later the door opened, allowing her to enter. She closed it behind her.

The older goblin scrutinized her. "I was beginning to think you had left us."

"My apologies, Manager Snortroc. My situation is an unusual one and very unforeseen. I have a difficult decision and request your guidance." Her mother had suggested this approach. It was either this or just quit with the expectation of never being hired at Gringotts again.

"Speak," he said after a moment.

"I have enjoyed my work here for the last year and do not wish to end it. However, a family matter has come up that requires my presence for the next year or so." Family matters carried some importance with the goblins, or so they said. "I ask if there is a way for me to return after my time away."

Snortroc studied her for a moment. "I had high hopes for you, Liaison Delacour. You were a hard worker and had an eye for profit; however, it is too much unless you can show me how it helps Gringotts."

Her gamble had failed. She started to thank him for the time here and leave until she saw the folded parchments in her hand, allowing an idea to germinate. "It is possible," she said slowly while thinking furiously, "for me to help the bank keep a wealthy client's gold here. He's recently made some large withdrawals and will probably make more in the near future if not advised otherwise."

The old goblin let the silence last for so long, Fleur was sure he was going to send her away as a silly girl. "I believe you need to tell me your situation and who this client is, if you wish to stay employed here," he finally said very gravely.

Fleur knew the truth was required and she hoped she could present it in a way that would be accepted. Perhaps if she used a goblin term…

"The client is Harry James Potter-Black. I have his statements with me as he requested that I retrieve them for him, for the standard fees." She held the parchments out to him.

Snortroc waved them away. "I am familiar with the Potter and Black accounts. They are not are the largest, but they are large enough that you have my attention."

"If you didn't know, Mr Potter closed his school vault almost two weeks ago and he made a significant withdrawal from the Black account at the same time. He requested the statements to know how much was in the other accounts he controls. I believe he plans to withdrawal all that is left in the near future."

The goblin hissed in displeasure before he asked, "How do you know this?"

"I have spent the last week with him and he has mentioned wanting his money with him as he is unsure of the future." She felt that was close enough to the truth, even if Harry had not said that specifically. The goblins understood that predictions were sometimes based on feelings.

Drumming his claws on the desk, Snortroc considered her statement for a moment before pinning her with a hard look. "How is spending a week with Mr Potter a family matter?" he asked accusingly, as if sure he had caught her in a lie.

"Because my family asked me to watch over him as he has left Britain." Her mother only asked last night, but she did tell Fleur it was a good idea for her to continue her guard and tutoring position and see what developed with Harry.

As the goblin looked alarmed at the news, she added the final argument all goblins should understand, or so she hoped. "That time with him has shown me that he is my possible mate to pursue." She desperately hoped the goblin took that to mean that she was elevating Harry to the level of family, despite some uncertainty.

Snortroc leaned back in his small chair and rested his elbows on the arms of the chair, allowing him to tap his claw tips together in front of his chin as he thought.

Fleur hoped that meant he was nervous about losing Harry's accounts, as that could be good for her.

The tapping stopped. "Will you be in the position to do other work for us?" he asked quietly.

"I could check-in with Gringotts occasionally for messages, maybe once a quarter and probably at the Paris branch. I could do small curse-breaking jobs that I could take with me and return when done. In general, I will not be available for quick tasks; there will be no other reliable way to contact me." She suspected she had just ended her career here.

The tapping resumed for a minute before stopping as he leaned forward, elbows on his desk. "The Potter and Black accounts individually are large enough to be on the list for you to deal with their owners. Together, it is an account that we do not wish to lose; yet it is not an account that is large enough to assign a sole Liaison to full-time. Then there is the issue of your _family matter_, which you are stretching egregiously.

"You have a choice Liaison Delacour. Either stop wasting my time and leave, never to work for us again; or you will sign a temporary contract to become the Liaison to Mr Potter for one Galleon a month for the next year. If you choose to continue to work for us, then his money needs to return to the bank and stay in it, and you need to show me that you are his mate in one year. If his money leaves the bank or you are not his mate, then not only will I sack you, but you will never work in England again if I can arrange it. Should you fulfill this temporary contract, then your normal pay and duties would resume in a year. Choose wisely."

Fleur had never seen a goblin so serious or perhaps deadly, not even the guards who were the unfriendliest of the lot. It was all she could do not to gulp. His look made her sure he was not bluffing and she was also sure he could arrange her unemployment in this country.

There was also little doubt in her mind that this offer was because he thought she had lied to him, but stopping just short of throwing her out in case there was truth that she could influence Harry. While every contract benefited the bank in some way, there was always the ability to negotiate.

"Would returning the money to the Paris branch be sufficient?" she inquired.

"Since we can transfer between all branches, it will be. Do you accept your change in contract or do you wish to cancel it all together?" he asked in the still deadly voice.

Realizing her game of flirting with Harry had just turned very serious, she gave it all one last run through in her mind, trying to think like a goblin. The _blacklisting_ only applied to England he said, so she could work in other countries if it all went bad; but there was something about Harry that called to her and made her feel as if a permanent relationship was possible. "As long as being married or an engagement with written betrothal contract counts as being my mate, then I accept." Definitions were always important when dealing with goblins. "Since the salary is so low and the rewards high for Gringotts on success, then I believe a bonus would be in order at the end when I succeed."

Snortroc said nothing while he pulled a piece of parchment out of a drawer. After he scratched out a contract, he slid it across the desk and put the quill and inkwell within her reach.

Fleur read it very carefully, trying to find loopholes and opportunities for it to be used against her. She noted that Snortroc had included a bonus at the conclusion if she was successful, although it wasn't very big - probably as a penalty for this difficulty. Not finding anything to really argue over that she felt she could win, she picked up the quill and signed below the goblin's signature.

"I expect a status report at the beginning of every quarter. I will leave messages for you at the Paris branch for you to pick up when you turn in your reports. Your pay will be deposited in your vault as normal. Mr Potter's money will be back in a Gringotts branch within one month. I will see a marriage license or a betrothal contract within one year if you want your bonus and continued employment." He duplicated the contract and gave the copy to her. "Dismissed."

"Thank you," she said as she rose and hoped she had made the right choice. She also hoped she could get Harry to put his money back without angering him or making him think less of her. There was little doubt in her mind that as uncomfortable as the truth was, lying to him would be far worse.

One other thing that was very obvious was that she could never tell Harry about the bonus or the last condition to earn it. She felt putting pressure on him like that wasn't fair, to either of them actually. There was also the concern that if she told him then it might cause him to agree to be with her when he didn't really mean it. No, she'd never tell him. If it worked out then she had some extra spending money; if it didn't work out then it didn't and she wouldn't worry about it. She felt that real love was freely given and never forced.

A few minutes later, she was back among the shops picking up books and various supplies they needed. She considered going out into the Muggle world to do a little shopping, but decided against it. She had purchased everything else she had really needed during her stop in Paris on the way here. Besides, if she really needed something else, it now appeared they'd be traveling to Paris once a quarter and she could buy it then.

— — —

Not knowing Hermione's home address and unwilling to ask Harry, Fleur Apparated to the The Burrow and hoped the girl was there. She landed outside the wards and began to walk towards the house. She was concerned about how to talk to Bill now that she had essentially thrown herself at Harry. She hoped Bill did not take this badly and that they could continue to be friends, although she acknowledged the possibility that might not happen.

As she came to what they called the paddock, she smiled as she saw Ron and Ginny flying, as well as Hermione sitting under a tree with a book. She could put off talking to Bill a bit longer. Walking towards Hermione, she heard, "Fleur!" from above her. Looking up, she saw Ginny diving down and Ron struggling not to drop the Quaffle he seemed to be juggling.

Ginny seemed to bounce as she hit the ground next to Fleur, before dropping her broom and giving the Veela a hug. "I'm surprised to see you this early. The meeting isn't for several hours. How are you and how's Harry?"

"Hi Fleur," Hermione gave the older girl a light hug.

Fleur turned to see Ron landing and looking lost and a little dreamy, as if he couldn't decide what to do.

"Ron, what's your problem?" Ginny asked her brother. "At least say hello."

"She wants to see me," Ron said slowly and with delight. A second later he realized what he said and turned bright red. Memories of fourth year didn't help.

"Oh! It is my fault." Fleur took control of her Allure and suppressed it as much as she could. "I'm sorry, but I've not really had to control my Allure for the last week and I've enjoyed that so much I forgot about it."

"Ron, I think you should go back to the house," Ginny told him as gently as she could, knowing that he just couldn't help himself around the Veela.

Ron nodded and ran.

"I'm sorry," Fleur started.

"It's not your fault," Hermione told her with a slight frown. "This is just like fourth year."

"I was trying not to bring that up," Fleur said with a slight grin, causing the other two girls to chuckle.

When Hermione caught her breath, she asked, "But what about Harry…" She stopped herself as the thought it through. "He's not bothered by it, is he?"

Fleur smiled. "No, he's not. It has made my stay much easier." Turning to Ginny, she said, "I'm doing well and so is Harry, as long as I don't mention a few topics. I'll speak about it this evening and you will hear then."

"Why are you here now?" Hermione asked.

"I need to talk to the two of you, separately if you don't mind. I would like to have two different views of the same events," Fleur explained. "Ginny, perhaps we should talk first. Do you mind, Hermione?"

"No, that's fine," Hermione replied as they heard "Girls!" being shouted at them.

They all turned to see Molly Weasley walking quickly towards them with her wand out. "Girls! Please come to the house."

"Mum!"

"Girls, now! That may not be Fleur; she's not supposed to be here this early." Molly had her wand trained on the blonde witch.

Ginny looked exasperated and sounded it too. "What did Ron say?"

"Just that Fleur was back. Girls…"

"Mum, Ron turned into a gibbering wreck a moment ago, like only a Veela can cause. Or are you saying she's," Ginny motioned towards Fleur, "another Veela polyjuiced as Fleur?" Molly's wand dropped a little.

"I know I'm early, Mrs Weasley. The meeting isn't supposed to start until eight. However, I need to talk to the girls about some of Harry's adventures at Hogwarts."

Molly lowered her wand the rest of the way and thought for a moment. "Why don't you come up to the house. You can speak in the back garden. We can't be too careful as things are now."

The three girls exchanged looks of disbelief as there had been no problem with the paddock before Fleur arrived, but they followed the matron back towards the house anyway. "I'll go inside and get something to drink," Hermione told them as she walked away.

Ginny led the Veela to a bench under a tree and away from her Dad's shed and the house. "We should be safe here. Not even the twins should be able to hear us if they suddenly showed up and as long we don't shout. How's Harry, really?"

Fleur could tell she was truly concerned. "He's doing well as long as I don't mention 'the betrayers'."

The little redhead sighed and looked down. "Damn Dumbledore." Shaking her head, she looked back up. "You haven't given him my letters, have you?"

"I'm sorry to say, no." When Ginny started to speak up, Fleur stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Ginny, I'm having to take everything very slowly. He becomes very angry just at the mention of Dumbledore's name. Talking about his friends from school is almost as bad. When he becomes angry that easily, I can't hand him your letters because he probably won't read them. Professor Dumbledore sent him a letter a few days ago and he burned it without even opening the envelope. I'm afraid he would do the same to yours, at least at this time."

Ginny's head dropped again and she visibly struggled to contain her emotions. "It's so not fair. I want to be his friend. Sure, I'd like more, what girl wouldn't, but friendship is all I'm asking."

Fleur rubbed the girl's shoulder for a moment to try to calm her. "I only have one suggestion for you at the moment. I don't know how to do it, but find a way to send a letter to him. If I haven't found a way to get him to read your first letters by then, that will force him to consider that he has a friend here. I'll find a way to make sure he reads them all without destroying them - somehow. I need unusual something to help me get through to him."

"You could take one today, before you go back," Ginny begged.

"I'm sorry, I can't. Harry made me promise not to bring any letters back, other than his OWL results."

"But…"

"I know," Fleur said reassuringly, "he's being too … uh, paranoid - stubborn too. But he made me promise in exchange for a promise I forced him to make."

"What was that promise?" Ginny asked, rubbing at one eye.

Fleur chose to believe the eye had something in it, to give the girl some peace. "That he would stay where he was while I was gone."

"Oh."

"Ginny, don't give up hope. I have something else for you; I'll tell you at the end.

"Now, I need to know a few things about Harry. Things you've seen or heard starting with what it was like with his relatives. Also tell me about his adventures in school. I especially want to know about what the adults did or didn't do."

Ginny nodded and began to tell her stories.

Fleur listened carefully, keeping Harry's version firmly in mind. The differences were fairly minor. She was again appalled by what she heard.

"Thank you, Ginny. I'm sure parts of that were hard … like your first year."

Ginny nodded. "It is still hard to tell, but that story is the best example of the real Harry. He does what needs to be done because it's the right thing to do. He may bitch and moan about it, but he always solves the problem. The first time I heard him complain about why only Hermione seemed to be able to figure out there was a basilisk opened my eyes and it made him normal."

Fleur chuckled. "Harry can be special and normal at the same time.

"Before you go, I need to tell you two things first. It may change your mind about your letters…"

— — —

Molly looked out the window to see Fleur still talking to her Ginny after nearly a half hour. She didn't fully trust the young woman; she was a Veela and she wasn't English - she wasn't like Molly's family. She understood what Bill saw in her: a pretty little thing. Fortunately, that relationship seemed to be falling apart if Bill's unhappiness was a true indication, and Molly hoped it was.

Another glance showed Ginny starting to react angrily at Fleur. Molly was about to go out there and put a stop to this foolishness when Fleur leaned forward and grabbed Ginny's hand and said something else. Ginny started to calm down as Fleur continued to talk. After a few minutes, Ginny stood and strode to the house looking very determined. Fleur followed slowly, looking weary.

Ginny stormed into the house, allowing the screen door to bang behind her.

"Ginny!" Molly called, "You will not slam the door."

The almost fifteen year-old girl glared. "This is your fault - Mother! If you hadn't stopped me from writing Harry, he'd know he had at least one friend who cared about him and wanted him around. Instead, you pushed him away and made him think I pushed him away too. Arr!" Turning, she took long quick steps to the stairs and ran up them.

"Ginny! Get back here! Ginny! Ginny!" None of Molly's shouts were answered, except by the slammed door at the top of the stairs. Turning, she saw a resigned Fleur standing quietly in the doorway and Hermione sitting nearby in shock. "This is your fault!" she accused as she pointed a finger at the Veela.

"I supposed it is my fault," Fleur answered calmly, "that I told her the truth that you pushed Harry away."

"I did not! I love that boy!" Molly glared, her jaw grinding in anger.

"Your actions of ignoring him and forcing Ginny to ignore him say otherwise," the young woman said perfectly calmly. "I believe you have a saying, actions speak louder than words." While Molly gaped at her, Fleur looked at Hermione. "If you would join me? Please?" She didn't wait but turned and left the house. Hermione joined her on the bench a moment later.

"Were you being completely honest?" Hermione asked quietly, as if afraid of the answer.

"I am sorry, but yes." She watched the younger witch bury her face in her hands. "Hermione, your actions by themselves weren't that bad. Or I do not believe them to be. You merely picked a very bad time not to support your friend; a time where he looked at everything suspiciously. He thinks you don't like him anymore because you didn't write him like normal, because you were hurt during the fight at the Ministry and blamed him. Then when he found that Professor Dumbledore was involved, it only made it all worse. He believes Professor Dumbledore to be the main reason for most of his problems. The simple mention of the man's name makes him very angry."

"But," Hermione looked up, struggling with information, "Professor Dumbledore is our leader."

It was said as if he could do no wrong, or so Fleur thought that's how it sounded. She sighed and shook her head. "I do not wish to discuss it twice, so you should listen very carefully tonight. I asked Professor Dumbledore to include all three of you, Harry's closest friends.

"Since you are one of his closest friends," or _were_ Fleur thought but didn't want to say, "I would like for you to tell me what you know about Harry's time growing up and his adventures at school. Be sure to include what the adults did and how they reacted. I wish to compare to what Harry told me."

Hermione struggled for a moment before seeming to push away whatever was bothering her. "Harry rarely talked about his time before Hogwarts. I can remember a few things he's said about the summers when he had to return and they weren't very kind. In our first year…"

Fleur listened carefully. Hermione gave her much more detail than Ginny did, as well as shared some stories that Ginny did not. For those that Harry mentioned, again the differences were minor. This caused Fleur to assume the rest of the stories Harry told her were true and reasonably accurate. What happened to him was just so wrong.

As Hermione finished, Bill came out of the house and looked at Fleur determinedly. She could tell he was having to restrain himself from coming over. Knowing she'd have to deal with him eventually, she held up one finger and he nodded before leaning back against the house and waiting.

"Before I go," Hermione started and then paused as she gathered her thoughts. "Before I go, I'll tell you I think I may understand a little better after retelling all of that in one sitting. I don't think I've ever put it all together like that, nor have I asked where the adults were. At the time, I assumed we didn't try to find them hard enough, but now … now I can see how they let us down, at least at times."

"They did," Fleur agreed quietly.

Hermione stood but didn't walk away immediately. "Why was Ginny so upset? It sounded like she was complaining about more than not being able to write Harry."

"That is a question for Ginny. I will not betray her confidence."

"Of course," Hermione replied with a nod before walking slowly back to the house. Her movement caused Bill to walk over and stand in front of Fleur.

It was a day for difficult conversations, she thought. "Please sit, Bill." She tried to put on a friendly face, but wasn't sure she managed completely; she was starting to get tired, and she still had the meeting tonight.

He looked at her for a moment before slow sinking to the bench, sitting on the edge of it as if he might need to spring up instantly.

"It's good to see you again," he said softly, hopefully.

"It's good to see you. It's always good to see a friend."

Bill didn't look entirely pleased to hear that. "Is that all we are now, friends?"

"When were we more than friends?" She was a little surprised with him. "We have dated exactly three times. You have never asked me to be anything else, not even a girlfriend."

"I thought… I had hoped…" He looked at her for a moment before asking, "Will you be my girlfriend?"

She did her best to give him a caring look and hoped he understood, while trying not to lead him on. "I'm afraid that would be impractical for the next year."

"Impractical?" He jerked away slightly in surprise.

"Gringotts has given me a new contract and assignment. I will not be in England for the next year." She wondered how little she could tell at the moment.

"Where? I can put in for a transfer," he told her. "At least you're finished babysitting Harry."

Shaking her head slowly, she said, "I'm afraid not." She knew now she'd have to tell all of the non-confidential parts. "I've been assigned a single client: Harry."

"But why? He can't possibly be doing that much business with Gringotts hiding wherever he is. Plus, to have a wholly assigned Liaison requires a worth far in excess of the rumors of what the Potters had." He paused for a moment, "Or did the Potters have much more then everyone assumes?"

"I'm sorry, that is confidential information and you know it," she told him a little forcefully to drive the point home.

"But you can't…" He turned away in frustration, as if seeking help from the woods on the other side while he hid his expression.

"We can still be friends," she said into the silence before it could grow too long. "You can leave messages for me at the bank and I will reply when I'm able. I am required to present myself once a quarter."

"So four letters over the next year?" he asked, frustration very evident as he turned back to her.

"Yes, I believe so. Bill, you have been a good friend, but I believe we have no other ties between us. If you find another girl you like, then date her. If we are meant to be together, then Fate will make it work out and a year will not matter. We will find out if we have feelings beyond friendship for one another or not." She hoped she had not hurt him too much and that they could still be friends.

Bill looked down and nodded slowly. "I suppose we'll find out. I'll see you at the meeting tonight." Rising swiftly, he headed towards the house.

He was just like her boyfriend in her sixth year, Fleur thought. He imagined there was more between them and didn't want to let go.

Looking at her watch and seeing that she had a little over an hour, she headed for the edge of the wards. She needed a mental break and thought she knew just where to go. The little restaurant would be busy and noisy, but it would all be background noise that she could ignore and hopefully relax there to fully regain her mental balance.

— — —

Fleur arrived with a small crack. In front of her was their host. "Good evening, Mr Weasley."

"It's Arthur," he replied with a gracious smile. "Go on up to the house; we'll be starting in about ten minutes." He eyed the plastic bag in her hand with great interest. "What do you have?"

She held up the bag with what would be strange writing to him. "An extra dinner for someone as a peace offering."

"Ahh, I'm not sure Bill would eat it now; he didn't eat much for dinner, said he wasn't hungry," the man said in his normally friendly manner, no condemnation for her.

"It's actually for someone else," Fleur said as she walked away. She liked … Arthur. If everyone was like him, we'd all get along much better, she thought. She'd never seen him upset in the few times she'd been around him, and Bill had said it was hard to make him truly angry.

Using her walking time, Fleur did her best to completely reign in her Allure. She did not want to detract from her message tonight. It also reminded her of Harry for a moment and how he had spoiled her, letting her be natural when around him. She hoped he was doing well and not becoming too lonely.

Entering The Burrow, Fleur saw the three younger teens sitting on the floor with the twins, as the older members took the chairs and sofas. Stopping in front of Ron, she held out the bag to him.

Slowly taking the strange looking bag with the unusual symbols on the side, he asked, "What's this?"

"I'm sorry for losing control of myself this afternoon. Hermione told me that you like to eat different foods sometimes. I hope you'll enjoy it; it's Thai food. You'll want water when you eat it."

"Does it tie you up or something?" Ron asked suspiciously as he put the bag down and pulled a container out carefully as if it might do something to him.

"Honestly, Ron," Hermione harrumphed. "It's not 'tie' as in tie your shoes, it's 'Thai' as in food from Thailand."

"Never heard of it," he said as he opened the container and took a sniff. "Different, but interesting. So noodles and vegetables and bits of meat?"

"You will want water," Fleur reiterated before moving back to stand against the wall near the fireplace.

Ron stood to go get a glass of water while Hermione unwrapped the plastic knife and fork, as well as speared a single noodle and ate it quickly. Ginny giggled while the twins laughed.

"I like Asian food and we don't get it at Hogwarts," Hermione defended herself. "That's good too. Do you think he'll eat it all?"

"This is Ron we're talking about," Ginny reminded her, grin still firmly in place.

Hermione nodded as Ron returned. She watched him carefully as he took his place and scooped up some food with the - unusual to him - plastic fork.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, stopping just before the first bite. "Did Fred or George do something to it?"

They all shook their heads, as did Fleur, which reassured him. "Then what?"

"Well…" Hermione looked at the food and then him. "I was hoping you wouldn't want it all. I like Asian food."

"This came all the way from Asia?" Ron asked astounded.

Struggling to hold her chuckle to a mere smile, Fleur answered, "The people who made it live in London, but their ancestors came from Asia."

"Oh, OK." He shoved the bite in and began to chew. A moment later he was reaching for the water and gulping some down. "What did you do?" he panted, causing everyone who had been paying attention to the scene to smile. "That nearly set my mouth on fire."

"It's just a little spice," Hermione said innocently. "If you don't want it-"

"I didn't say that," Ron replied and moved the container of food a little closer and started eating again.

Now Fleur didn't bother to stop her chuckle. This group was a sight and she could see why Harry had made friends with them.

The fireplace flared and most of the Hogwarts contingent arrived as Arthur walked in. Snape moved to stand near the door, as if he might need to leave at a moment's notice. McGonagall took one of the few remaining seats as did the large Gameskeeper. Dumbledore stood near the fireplace and looked around, before smiling when he saw Fleur and walked over.

With his wand, Dumbledore cast a privacy spell. "Miss Delacour. I wanted you to know that I was able to help you a little. I hope it's enough to allow you to return to Harry's location." He handed her a small parchment.

She unfolded it and saw that it was an offer for 200 Galleons a month. It was almost enough to return her to her previous salary, assuming she received the bonus a year from now and averaged it all out. Of course, there was a large chance she wouldn't receive the bonus. Smiling at him, she said, "If you'll deposit it in vault 1929 every month, then I'll find it when I need it."

Smiling himself, Dumbledore asked, "So you plan to return to Harry?"

"I will. Gringotts changed my assignment and I'm now the Liaison solely for him. I managed to keep my position, but they also required a drastic pay cut. I appreciate your help," she pointed at the note.

"And I appreciate your help," he told her as he took down the privacy bubble to find all eyes on Ron Weasley who was gulping down water and had beads of sweat on his forehead. "Is there a problem, young Mr Weasley?"

"The food," he breathed. "It's good, but really hot."

Dumbledore looked at the plastic bag at his feet as well as the wide noodles. "Thai food, I presume? Allow me." He waved his wand at Ron's glass and it tripled in size and filled with water. "I'm sure you won't want to miss the food or the meeting." The twins laughed at their brother as he hurried to finish despite the spices.

"Does anyone have anything important that can't wait?" Dumbledore asked the room at large. "No? Then I'll turn it over to Miss Delacour, who will give us the report we're all anxiously awaiting." He conjured a narrow but very padded chair to the side and let Fleur have the space in front of the fireplace.

Looking around to see everyone staring at her would have been uncomfortable if she hadn't worked with goblins, who she thought were much more intimidating.

"It is difficult to know where to start. I think I will say again that Harry is in a very safe location…"

"How can he be if there's no one there to watch him?" Molly spoke up with a slight glare.

"He is in a safer place than this," Fleur said, waving her hand across the room. "There are more and better wards there. Harry has also promised me that he would not leave while I was gone. He is safe.

"Also, he has a house-elf who will protect him if required. That is how he escaped so easily."

"Harry inherited everything from Sirius, didn't he?" Remus Lupin asked.

"That is Harry's business, but the elf does have to obey his commands. Harry also realizes that he must be careful with his commands. I believe that will not be a problem in the future, because I have noticed the elf treating Harry with real respect, at least most of the time."

"Still, he needs to be here!" Molly said adamantly.

"Then let me tell you that I would be very surprised to see Harry in England before Christmas." Fleur thought it was easy to see who Harry's real friends were as chaos broke out in the room. They were the ones who were more sad than frustrated or outraged.

Eventually, Dumbledore calmed everyone down. "Do you have a guess as to when?" he asked gravely.

"No, but my goal is to convince him to return before this time next year…"

"A year?"

Fleur looked at Ron, who had just finished the food before his question. "I'm sorry, but yes. I believe it may take him that long to agree to return."

"What about his classes? How will he learn if he isn't at school?" Hermione asked aghast.

"I am teaching him and he's doing quite well. Not everyone goes to a school to learn. Some are tutored at home," Fleur explained.

Hermione looked to her head of house.

"She is correct, Miss Granger," McGonagall assured her. "Not everyone your age attends Hogwarts, although the number who don't is small."

"Do you know why he wants to stay away?" Dumbledore asked before Hermione could continue.

"For the same reason he left. Harry is very angry at all of you…"

"What have we done to him?" several people asked out loud, looking very put out to be blamed.

"I don't know that Harry would say it this way, but I believe there are three categories of people, or perhaps four, depending on how he feels at the time." Fleur looked around. "Most of you are those that he believes you ignored him when you could have helped, even if it was only by talking to him. Since you have ignored him, Harry is ignoring you. He thinks you don't care about him, so he doesn't care about to you."

"How could we ignore him? We barely know him and I'm a distant cousin."

"You are?" Fleur inquired of the young woman with short spiky lavender hair.

"Tonks." At a few snickers, she glared back at them and stated, "Just Tonks, no first name needed."

"Miss Tonks, you might fall more into the second group, but maybe not," Fleur said with a shrug. "The lines between the groups change depending on Harry's mood. I will still answer your question. If you are his cousin in some way, were you also related to Sirius Black?"

"Yes, he was my uncle," Tonks answered. "Why?"

"Did you have anyone offer condolences for his passing?"

"Yeah, several people here did."

"Did any of them offer to sit down with you and talk about it? To make sure you were doing well with it?"

Tonks started to shift in her seat and her hair changed to black. "Yes," she softly said, starting to look a little guilty.

"Why didn't you do that for Harry since you're his cousin?" She looked around the quiet room, including at Dumbledore. "I believe Harry has seen three people die in the last five years, including the man he saw as like a father. Why hasn't anyone sat down with Harry to ask how he's doing after each of those times? Why hasn't anyone sat down to ask him if he needs help dealing with death?"

The only sound being made was the creaking of a few chairs and of cloth rubbing. Everyone was looking down, including Dumbledore.

"The second group is made of those that he feels betrayed him in some way. How many of you did he ask questions to or asked for help? Did anyone here respond with an answer of more than a few lines in a hasty note? Did anyone visit him to tell him that you cared about him as a person?" Fleur turned scornful. "Or did you say less to him than you would say to a person you barely know that you pass on the street? If he reached out to you and you ignored him, even if it was because you 'didn't have time at the moment', then according to Harry, you betrayed him."

Silence continued and Fleur saw that no one was looking at her now and some were rubbing at their eyes. Her righteous anger felt justified at the signs of guilt.

"Then there are those that he thinks are actively working against him. This is a small group, but bigger than you might think. It of course includes Voldemort and his Death Eaters."

Seeing nearly half the group shiver and look around as if looking for a place to run disgusted her. "The day before I came here, Harry told me why he has that name. It's made up, and he calls himself a 'lord' to elevate himself in everyone's eyes. No wonder Harry doesn't think very highly of this group if half of you can't stand to hear a made up name, like some nursery monster under your bed."

No one answered her.

"Joining Voldemort and his group are his four Muggle relatives, and …" she paused, her anger ensured she'd say this, "several Professors at school, all of which are here tonight." She noticed that Snape's and especially McGonagall's head snapped up to look at her, just as she noticed that Dumbledore's was still bowed. He had examined himself already it seemed.

"You can't say that about these professors, especially Professor Dumbledore!" Molly said hotly. The very large man at the back, who reminded Fleur of Madame Maxime and that she remembered was the Gameskeeper at Hogwarts, looked just as outraged even if he didn't speak up.

"As I explained earlier to you, Mrs Weasley, you actively prevented others from helping Harry. Harry knows about that because the very few short letters he did get explained they couldn't write anymore because you said not to."

"Dumbledore said not to for his own good!"

"Harry knows that too and sees it as you thinking Dumbledore's arbitrary wishes are more important than a hurting person." Fleur watched Arthur put a hand on his wife as she puffed up to argue again. It was only the man's stern look that stopped her.

"I'm sure there are special circumstances and pieces of information that Harry doesn't know that are important to the stories around Harry," Fleur explained. "But no one has ever bothered to tell him, to treat him like a real person and share. So all Harry has to judge you by are how you have treated him. If you have not treated him well, then he doesn't think very highly of you."

"His stupidity knows no bounds," Snape said quietly, but still heard because no one else was making a noise.

"Says the teacher who attacked Harry's mind. And the teacher who doesn't teach his subject properly. Did you or did you not teach them proper preparation techniques?"

"What I do in my classroom doesn't concern you," Snape said snidely.

"No, you didn't teach them the most basic of knowledge for potions," she told him, ignoring his comment. "So is it any surprise the students have trouble brewing potions and cause explosions?" she said caustically. "I've see the books you assigned and they are not enough for success. No wonder the students don't want to take NEWT level potions with you."

Snape sneered at her angrily but without answering the charges because he had no acceptable answers.

"Miss Delacour?" The firm voice turned her head to the last professor on the list.

"How many times did Harry come to you and tell you of a problem and you did nothing and sent him away? You were his Head of House, the supposed head of his school family. When there was trouble in the school, where were you? If you couldn't be there, did you send another adult who could help? Did you stop abuse by the Professor who has hated him for all five years for reasons Harry doesn't understand?" She glanced at Snape and was sure McGonagall understood, as the woman hung her head guiltily. "Did you ever investigate the problems he brought to you or did you only turn him away? Did you ever take the time to tell him about his parents?" she tacked on the last just for spite. Harry had told her about none of professors telling him anything of substance about his parents.

"Who left Harry with his relatives that hate all things magic, and as Harry said, put him in hell for children?" Neither McGonagall nor Dumbledore would look at her, although she heard a gasp from Molly Weasley. The large man at the back looked down guiltily too.

"Harry was unhappy with his friends for not writing," she waved her hand towards the five at her feet. "However, he could have worked through that until he saw all the adults in his life ignoring him, putting him in abusive places, or working against him in some way. It's not hard for him to think that if his friends ignore him also, then one day they will act like the adults and do the other things too.

"I'm sure that Harry is wrong to think some of the things he does. He is too emotionally caught up in all the … the drama in his life. However, I can see clearly that he feels he has no motivation to return here and I have trouble blaming him.

"Despite all of that, I will return to where Harry is and do my best to help him grow beyond his bad feelings and to hopefully let them go. I believe I can get him to return again one day, but it will not be soon. In the meantime, do whatever you feel must be done in the war without Harry."

Finished with her rant on behalf of Harry, she stepped back and leaned against the wall, feeling the emotions of the moment and her energy slowly drain away. They are all a bunch of idiots, she decided, unconsciously adopting Harry's attitude for the moment.

Dumbledore slowly stood and faced the group, looking older than many had seen him in a long time. "Thank you for informing us of Harry's views, Miss Delacour. Having already considered much of that over the last couple of weeks, I'm sure you were more polite about it than Harry would have been or than I deserve from my many mistakes."

"What are we to do, Albus?" Remus Lupin quietly asked the question that was on almost everyone's mind.

"In regards to Harry," Dumbledore said wearily, "I think that will have to be a personal decision for each of us. At this time, I believe that I shall let Harry work out life for himself with the help of Miss Delacour, and then try to rebuild my bridges with him when he returns in the future."

"That's all?" Molly Weasley asked, sounding horrified.

"I do not believe I can do much else at the moment," Dumbledore said, spreading empty hands in front of himself. "I sent him a letter of apology several days ago, but it was returned to me as ashes, envelope and all."

"He never opened it," Fleur corroborated.

Dumbledore nodded in thanks. "If I can not even speak with him, there is little I can do, nor do I wish to hurt him further than I already have. Therefore, each of you must do as you feel led in regards to Harry.

"In regards to the war, we will continue on as we have, doing the best we can with what we have. Some of you have had special projects in the past; I hope you continue with those. I will have a few new projects in the future that I will need help on." Dumbledore sighed. "I'm afraid that the international community doesn't seem inclined to help because they see our problem as an internal civil war, something that the Ministry is not helping with. I am even debating on whether I should continue on as Supreme Mugwump of the body; but that is a decision for another day.

"If there is nothing else, let's all proceed home and be careful doing it." Dumbledore sat back down in his seat, as if too tired to leave. The group as a whole rose and started to shuffle out the door talking quietly with a friend; or for those who were not good at Apparation, they used the Floo Network to travel.

"Fleur?"

She turned from her thinking to see one of the twins. She raised an eyebrow, hoping.

"George."

She smiled for him answering her implied question. "Thank you. What can I do for you?"

"Would you take a letter to Harry for us?"

"I'm sorry," she told him and the others behind them listening in. "Harry anticipated that request and made me promise not to bring any letters back. While he didn't say it, I believe he thought that someone who really cared would find a way to communicate with him."

"I see." George looked at his twin.

"A challenge for us then," Fred replied, seriously considering the problem. "Do important business documents constitute a letter?"

"I took his request to mean anything written or spoken," she replied, wondering what business documents they could possibly have for Harry.

"Hmm, a serious challenge, brother," George said. Looking at Fleur, "We shall be in touch, somehow. I really don't think Harry meant to hold our non-communication against the two of us."

"Yes, I'm sure he was just swept up in the drama of the moment. He'll understand, I'm sure." Fred seemed as confident as his twin. "Good night, Miss Delacour." He gave a short bow and exited via the Floo, as did his twin.

"Thank you … for the food," Ron said quietly. "About burnt my mouth off, but I liked it." He looked at the brunette next to him. "I never realized you liked food that spicy."

"Sometimes," Hermione said with Cheshire grin.

"Fleur?" Ginny said suddenly. "Can I walk with you to the edge of the wards?"

"You may, after a moment." Fleur stepped over to the Headmaster. "Professor Dumbledore, it would be very helpful if you could send Fawkes to me at eleven tomorrow morning so I may travel back. I do not believe you need to send Fawkes regularly, unless he wants to come. Harry enjoys flying with him, but we won't need him for transportation after I return."

"I'll send him to you tomorrow and let him know that he's welcome to visit when he wishes." Dumbledore paused and appeared to choose his next words very carefully. "You had difficult words to share with us, but thank you for your efforts in this matter. I came to many of the same conclusions that you presented, although I'm sad to say that I didn't fully anticipate the breadth of the difficulties nor the depth of the feelings. While I hope you are successful quickly, I find myself hoping more that you are successful before it is too late. Considering what Harry has shared with you, I assume you understand the hidden tale that I speak of?"

"I do," she replied before turning grave. "I also know that Harry does not share your view. He does not believe _it_ to be true, but a fantasy."

Dumbledore nodded. "He may believe that way if he wishes; however, if it is true, then I hope he is prepared." He gave her a hopeful look.

"I will make him as prepared as I can. Professor, if there is a way to make it easier on Harry when he does return, I strongly request that you do so," she all but pleaded.

"That is reasonable and something I should have started a few years ago, and most likely something else Harry holds against me." Dumbledore stood slowly, as if it was difficult, and pulling a letter out of his pocket. "This is not personal correspondence and I believe you specifically asked for it."

She took the envelope with Harry's name along with the Hogwarts and Ministry of Magic seals on it. "His OWL results, I presume?"

"Exactly so," he said with a nod. "Safe travels, Miss Delacour. If I can be of service, please ask."

"Thank you, Professor. Good luck and be careful in your adventures." Fleur turned to find the three teens looking at her strangely.

"He shared something with you that he didn't share with us, didn't he?" Hermione asked.

"Possibly," was all she said with an enigmatic smile for the somewhat nosy witch. "Ginny?"

The two headed out the door, each checking to see that no one was near, ahead or behind.

"Fleur? Were you serious about what could happen and your offer to help me?" Ginny whispered.

"The future is very uncertain, Ginny," whispered Fleur. "I spoke of possibilities."

"But if it did," Ginny persisted.

"If it happened as I said it might, then yes, I am serious. We would need to discuss it further and it's possible for the idea work, although it is also far from certain."

As they neared the end of their walk, Ginny reached out and touched Fleur's arm to stop her. "I'm sorry I was upset with you earlier. You really surprised me, with what might happen and your offer of help."

"You are fine with it now?" Fleur asked very surprised considering what they were discussing.

"No, not really, but I'm over my reaction and I'm thinking about it, although I'm not completely sure I want to do it, which would require moving away from home early. As it you said, it might not happen that way. Plus, as much as I might think I know Harry, I don't know how he'd react to something like this," Ginny said a little worriedly.

"It is a concern, but I don't believe we should worry about it now." Fleur put her hands on Ginny's shoulders and smiled. "Instead, you need to find a way to get a letter to Harry, and I need to find a way to get him to read the three letters you've already written without him burning them. Take care, Ginny." She touched each of her cheeks to Ginny's before walking out of the wards and Apparating to her flat.

Turning on the light, she looked around to make sure she was alone - she was. The place she had used to love as the very first place on her own now seemed dull and boring compared to a tropical island and the very nice house there.

After taking a hot shower to relax, Fleur went to bed. She would have to pack tomorrow and tell her landlord she was not renewing her lease. Then she could return to the island after a little shopping. If all went well, she would be seeing Harry by lunch tomorrow.

* * *

(A/N: For those who have been asking about Bill and Fleur, I hope this clears it up. Generally, they each saw the other differently and had different expectations. Bill was fighting to advance their friendship into a romantic relationship. Fleur always saw them only as friends.  
This chapter is not beta'd.)


	5. Friends

(A/N: I'm really surprised by some of the comments about Ginny. She's a major supporting character for a reason and it's not what some of you think. On Fleur and her contract with the Goblins, Fleur is being a little selfish here in trying to protect her pursuit of Harry while also trying to protect her pursuit of a career. She realizes those two things are somewhat in conflict, but she's still trying to "have it all". Anyway, here we start the next major section of the story.)

(A/N2: I just had 2 major family crises hit me at once. You're only seeing this chapter now because it was already ready to go. The next one may be a little late next week; we'll see. Sorry, but a lot of this is out of my control, as if I really had any to begin with.)

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Friends**

(Mon, 29 Jul)

Harry sat under the hut on the beach and practiced his spells. All the "easy" ones he could do silently. As much as he tried, there were more than he cared for that he couldn't do silently yet. Many of those he could whisper, which should be good enough. There were a few, like his Patronus, that he just had to say - almost shout - or he couldn't cast them well. It made him wonder why, but he could come up with no reason. All he could do was practice until he was successful.

Another thing he could find no reason for was Fleur, or rather her behavior and what he should do about her. He was sure she had a reason for wearing that black bikini a few days before she left, as well as going back to her more "normal" swim wear afterward. A small part of him wanted to consider that she might like him, but the rest of him knew she couldn't. She was three years older and out of school. She had dated Bill, the ultimate of cool according to the other Weasleys he preferred not to think about. What could she possibly see in him, an almost sixth year, who had only ever had one date and a disastrous one at that?

He tried to conjure a very simple wooden chair silently. That produced a few spindly pieces of wood that fell into a heap, causing him to shake his head.

A ball of fire to his left caught his attention, as Fawkes brought Fleur. He jumped up and took a step towards her before he caught himself and stopped, trying to turn his enthusiastic greeting into a simple smile. "Hi," he said, trying to be nonchalant, but not sure he was entirely successful.

Fleur's small smile at being back turned broad as she set the bag in her hand down and Fawkes flew over to sit on the back of Harry's chair. "It's all right," she told him and opened her arms.

Knowing he couldn't avoid it without hurting her feelings, he stepped over and gave her a light hug, secretly enjoying it.

"Did you miss me?" she asked as he stepped back.

"It was … a little lonely at times. I supposed I did get used having you to talk to," he admitted with some embarrassment.

She gave him a light chuckle as she reached down for her bag. "I brought you a few things," she said with much enjoyment.

"Err, I wouldn't think that a few books and my account statements would be a good reason to be so happy." He looked at her with confusion as she opened her bag and put a small flat cardboard box on the table, along with two small cylinders. It took a moment for him to realize what he was looking at, their size being much smaller than normal. "Is that really…"

Fleur waved her wand over them, canceling the shrinking charm. "I brought you pizza and soda."

Harry whooped before calling for Kreacher to bring three glasses and ice. The elf returned and placed them on the table, eying the box with suspicion. Harry poured the drinks and then opened the box and lifted a small slice of pepperoni pizza out and handed it to the elf, along with a glass of soda. "Kreacher, this is what I meant by pizza. If this isn't good enough for you to learn how to make it, then maybe we'll have to buy you a cookbook."

"Kreacher is not sure Kreacher wants to eat Muggle pizza." He looked at it warily as if it might poison him.

Harry grabbed his own piece and took a bite, savoring it. "Kreacher, you eat Muggle food all the time. I've eaten almost everything you feed us here in the Muggle world. I don't know why the Wizarding world doesn't have pizza, but it's good too." He looked at Fleur who was eating her first piece daintily, but obviously enjoying it. "How do you know about it?"

"I had it for the first time when my parents took me to Rome as a little girl. I've also been eating it from time to time in the last year. I bought this from a place near my flat in London," she told him.

Kreacher finally took a small bite and chewed it carefully. "It's not horrible," he finally said before popping away with the pizza and his drink.

"Maybe he'll make it now," said Harry as he took his seat. "How did it go?"

"It went as well as could be expected. I did get a permanent Portkey to my parents' home, so we can go there to start our travels when we want to leave. I barely mentioned the word broom and my father was running out the door to get me one." She made a face at him as he laughed. "I think he's been waiting for years for me to say that. I did pick up the supplies and books you asked for. I have your account statements. I also have your Gringotts identity disk."

"What's an identity disk?"

"It is a way to identify yourself to Gringotts as an account holder, much like your vault key used to do for you," she explained. At his look, she told him, "Now that you only use the family vaults, it is a way for you to show that you authorized me to do something for you. I am a Liaison, so I have to prove you asked me to do a task and the disk is the way."

"But why not just use my key?"

"Because family vaults don't have keys," she replied with a grin, a grin that faded slowly. "Harry, we do need to talk about your Gringotts accounts."

He sat up straight. "Why? What happened? Did someone take money from my vaults?"

"No, Harry, it's all safe. Have another piece of pizza and I'll explain."

He slowly took one, but a small ball of worry was in his stomach along with the food.

"As you know, my job was to work with many clients. I could have worked with you if you had the need. The Potters had that much money, as did the Blacks…"

"The Potters were rich?" he asked, stars of shock in his eyes as he thought about the last fifteen years and it's general lack of money in his daily life.

"Not really rich, but your family was very comfortable. The statements will give you the details. They will also show you that the Blacks were very comfortable too. Since you now control both fortunes, the goblins do consider you almost rich and in need of my services. However, you are still not rich enough to account for all of my time. To keep my job at Gringotts and to help you at the same time, I had to take less pay and make a few promises."

Harry thought that didn't sound quite so bad, but there was something about her expression that made him think there was something bothering her. "What's wrong? What did they make you promise?"

"I'm sorry, Harry, but the worst was that I have to convince you to return the money you took out before you left - within the next month. I know they pay you very little interest, but they like to have control over the money supply, as well as use the presence of it to make loans to others. So when you withdrew all the money from your small vault _**and**_ withdrew money from the Black account, it got their attention."

He studied her and decided she was telling the truth. "I didn't think it would be that big of a deal, and I didn't know how much I'd need where I was going. So, I, uh, just need to take it back? Or let you take it back for me?"

"Yes. I thought we could take a trip to Paris in a couple of weeks and take it back then. We'll also have to visit there at the beginning of every quarter. There may be other small tasks that they'll tell me about, but they're confidential." Fleur picked up her second piece of pizza as Harry finished off his second.

"That doesn't sound too bad," he said before his tone turned more derisive. "What about the meeting with the Order?"

"I think you'll be proud of me. I made them all feel guilty."

He looked at her for a moment before breaking out into a laugh, causing her to chuckle too.

"I told them not to expect you before Christmas," she told him. "I also told them my goal was to try to get you to be willing to return by next summer."

"Why would you tell them that?" he scowled at her.

Fleur let him think about that as she finished her small piece before conjuring a napkin for him and one for her. Clean again, she looked at him seriously. "We've talked a little about this before. Harry, I'm not going to force you to go back. You know I promised you that. But you need to consider something about yourself."

He wasn't pleased with where this conversation seemed to be going, but he decided not to stop her either.

"I know they hurt you. I told them that. I understand that you are unhappy with them." His snort didn't deter her. "Harry, if you continue to be angry at them long enough, you will stay unhappy and angry, all the time. You will become bitter. It will turn you into an unpleasant person that others don't want to be around."

He blinked slowly and looked at her. He wasn't sure he wanted to believe that.

"I do not know him well, but I believe there is a bitter person that you know that became that way after years of anger and hate. Do you want to be like one of your Professors? Angry at almost everyone with a sneer always on your face?" she asked pointedly.

"Snape," he hissed aghast.

"Yes, Snape. Do you want to be like him?"

"Bloody hell no!" he said vehemently without even thinking about it, surprising himself slightly after he did think about it.

"Then as I said before I left, you need to find peace. You don't have to forgive them and love them. You don't have to go back and give them all a hug." His snort tinged with a little humor made her think she was getting through to him. "You do have to lose your anger and be willing to live your life as it is. You should be careful around them. You don't have to trust them. Whatever else you do, Harry, you must stop hating them."

Fleur seemed to curl in on herself as she sighed, as if deflating. "One year, Harry. That's all I'll stay here and try to help you. If you still hate them, if you are still angry with them in one year, then you are on your own. I'm sorry."

He felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He didn't want her to leave. Of course, he didn't want to be like Snape either. But could he really stop being angry with them? "I'll think about what you said," he said finally, not fully sure he truly understood how she could be so sure about all of that. However, the idea of becoming like Snape revolted him and made him consider her words seriously. Harry supposed she might be right about Snape; the greasy bastard seemed to hate everyone and everything around him.

Fawkes trilled and brightened everyone's feelings a little.

Looking over at the bird, Harry grinned a little. "Would you like to fly together, Fawkes?"

The bird trilled and launched himself into the air. Harry called for Kreacher to bring him his broom and was off after the bird as quickly as he could.

Fleur sat where she was and shielded her eyes from the sun as she watched them. She truly and deeply hoped she had not pushed Harry too hard too fast so that he was angry with her and missed her message. He was her friend and she wanted him to get better.

She also realized this would have been a good time to tell Harry about Ginny's letters, but she was afraid he would dismiss them because she had just returned from England.

* * *

(Wed, 31 Jul)

Harry dodged to the side as a red spell, a Stunning one he assumed, just missed him. This silent dueling was a lot harder he thought after he sent his own Stunning spell at her, which she deftly danced away from. He couldn't always tell what a spell was by its color, and a few of them had no color or were so pale as to be practically invisible other than a slight roll of the air that was easy to miss.

He transfigured some of the sand near her into vines to try to trip her, while she was banishing a stick at him that came from only she knew where, probably conjured. Becoming a little more desperate as he ducked the stick, Harry sent a strong blasting curse at the sand between them to create a mostly opaque curtain. Rolling to the side to avoid her spells, he came up on one knee as the sand was raining down and cast three Stunning spells as fast as he could in a spread at where he hoped she was.

As the sand cleared a few seconds later, he saw Fleur was staggering as if drunk, indicating he had only clipped her. It was enough though; a Full Body bind ended the duel.

Walking over slowly as he recovered from the exertion, he took her wand before casting a reviving spell on her to counteract the Stunning spell, then he removed the body bind. "Finally," he told her with a grin as he offered her a hand up.

"Winning one in five isn't bad, Harry," she told him encouragingly. "You're still new to this. The other duels lasted a long time too. You made me work hard to win them." She cocked her head and looked at him deeply for a moment. "I predict that in three months it will be me who wins only one in five."

"You're just saying that…"

"Because I believe it to be true," she finished over his protest. "That screen of sand to hide your actions was well done. Let's have lunch."

They walked back to the house, their breathing returning to normal as they walked in.

Fleur gently pushed him in first so he could see the decorations she had asked Kreacher to put up. It wasn't much, but she thought he deserved something. The banner saying "Happy Birthday" was a nice touch and made her wonder how the elf had done it.

"How, how did you know?" he asked, very surprised.

"Someone told me, obviously," she replied with a large smile. "Someone who cares for you and has tried to be your friend."

"They didn't try," he spat back, losing most of his good mood.

"Three of them did," she returned a little forcefully. "You told me yourself that two of your friends wrote you back long letters, even if they didn't know what you wanted. The third person has tried to write you three times only to be prevented from giving it to you each time."

Harry's anger seemed to deflate, at least a little. "You're referring to Neville and Luna," he half-asked half-stated.

"Yes."

"If they managed, why didn't this other person?" He gave her a glare, sure the third person hadn't tried all that hard.

"The first attempt was prevented by an adult early this summer," she told him in a calm voice now. "You prevented the second attempt later in the summer when you told the person to go away and the person thought it was better not to argue with you because of your anger at the time. The third attempt was just after you came here and no owls could find you."

Harry thought Fleur looked relieved for some reason, which made this conversation that much stranger. "You know who it is, don't you?"

"I do. I've been trying to find a good time to tell you. I didn't think you'd listen if you were already angry. Today seemed like a good time to tell you," she said with a shrug before reaching out to him. "I think you should read the letters. This person wanted to tell you that you were someone that they considered a friend and wanted to know how you were doing."

Harry sank onto the arm of the chair behind him. He would have given a lot to have received a letter like that earlier this summer. For some reason he couldn't name, he wasn't totally sure he wanted them now. He sort of liked how things were currently. "Why didn't they try harder?" he asked her.

"How would you have contacted someone else from school if you didn't have Hedwig with you?" she asked him gently.

Damn Dumbledore and his Order, he silently blamed them. Still, he thought he would have found a way, maybe take the Knight Bus to hand deliver the letter. "I think I still would have found a way," he told her, but without much conviction. "Look, I'll think about it, OK?"

"It's a start, Harry," she told him with a smile. "Why don't we have lunch and cake? I bought you a birthday present too."

Her smile turned impish and he became a little worried but grateful for the change of subject. "You didn't have to."

"I know, but I did it anyway. Even if you don't like it, I think I will." She pulled him up and nudged him towards the table. "If you're very good, I have one more thing that might be considered a present."

He looked at her wondering what she was talking about, but she just smiled and walked over to the dining table. Joining her, he tried to figure out what was going on. He was sure she was up to something, but what eluded him.

"Harry, I have an idea for you when we go to Paris next week. I think we should visit a healer and see if your eyes can be fixed so you don't have to wear glasses."

"You do?" he asked slowly, adding this latest bit into his guesses about her. "Why?"

"How many duels have I won because you had trouble seeing?" she asked simply. As he just blinked at her, she added, "It's a little expensive I'm told, but you can easily afford it. I think it would be worth it."

"It would be nice," he said slowly as he thought it through and ate. "How expensive is 'a little expensive'?"

"A couple of thousand Galleons," she answered. "We would also need to stay there overnight."

"I'll consider it."

"Kreacher, it's time for cake," she called out a few minutes after they had both finished eating. She summoned a small box from her room, which she caught and handed to Harry while Kreacher brought in a chocolate cake with sixteen candles on it.

Fleur sung Happy Birthday to him while he studied the cake, his face feeling a little warmer than usual. When she finished, Harry blew out the candles. Before he could do anything else, she handed the small box wrapped in colorful paper.

"It is not much, but I think it's a fun present," she told him with a big smile, one of anticipation.

"O-K-," he drawled as he ripped the paper off. Opening the small cardboard box, he found some dark blue cloth. Pulling that out and unfolding it, he realized he was holding what looked like underwear, and small ones at that, with a logo on the side that said "Speedo". Trying his best not to be embarrassed, he asked, "Why did you buy me underwear?"

Fleur chuckled. "No, no, no. It's not underwear, it's a swim suit. It is very common on the French beaches."

"This?" he said with incredulity.

"Yes."

"I'm supposed to wear this, in front of you?" He looked at it again and wondered just how much it would show, especially if… He did his best to shut that thought down.

"Yes," she said again. "I have one that matches it, although mine has a top." She studied him for a moment. "If you wear it, I'll wear mine."

He always liked seeing her in her swimsuits. It would only be fair, he thought; yet he still wasn't sure about it.

She leaned in, her lips very near his ear, and whispered. "If you'll wear it, I'll give you another present and I think you'll like this one. I know I'd like to give it to you."

Turning, he saw her sit back in her seat with an impish look, one that was actually kind of sexy on her. He wasn't sure if he should run to his room and change or run away and not come back.

"Please?" she said softly, her expression turning slightly pouty.

He felt shivers running through his body despite the warm day. "All right, all right, I'll do it."

"Wonderful!" she cried as she clapped her hands together and jumped up excitedly. "I'll go change too and we can model for each other. Then we can spend the afternoon on the beach reading and working on Runes. I'll give you your other present there."

Harry watched her walk quickly to her room acting almost like a little girl in her excitement. Shaking his head, he went to his room and secured the door. Stripping down, he tried to put the suit on, but it was tight and barely covered everything. His thinking of her didn't help as it made his suit not fit well at all.

Not sure what to do, he tried to think about anything other than her, like maybe … Kreacher. How much could he trust Kreacher now? They got along better, but the elf still gave him disgusting looks from time to time.

Realizing that he fit in the suit better after a few minutes, he adjusted it and walked out of the room and practically ran into Fleur, who was standing there looking him up and down. He would have felt embarrassed except that he couldn't help but check her out too. Her navy blue suit looked really good on her and covered even less than her little black suit did. That started a reaction in him that did embarrass him and caused him to slowly back towards his room.

"You look very good," she told him and grabbed his hand so he couldn't run away and pulled him after her. Reaching the door, she grabbed the pot of suntan lotion and continued to lead him out to their beach.

"But, my books…" he protested.

"I asked Kreacher to take them to our hut," she told him, not stopping until they reached the hut, where his books were waiting. "Sit," she told him.

Feeling he didn't have much of a choice, he did.

"Now," she put the pot down and dipped some lotion out. "I am going to put my trust in you, Harry. Close your eyes." She started to lightly spread the lotion on his face. "When I'm finished with your face, I will do your back too. When I'm done, we will trade places and you will do my face and back. The trust is because I'm trusting you not to let me burn, as I will not let you burn."

She finished up his face, covered his ears in lotion, then moved to his back. He had to admit that her hands felt very nice gliding over his skin.

"This scar," she lightly brushed against the one on his upper right arm, "this was from the basilisk?"

"Yes," he said softly, almost afraid to talk as she finished up his lower back going all the way down to the edge of his swimsuit that seemed extremely low now.

Not stopping, she went up his sides and came around to the front where she pulled him up and started to slowly rub his chest. He looked her in the eyes, afraid to look lower for the moment, and saw her studying him intently as she worked on the front of him.

"You're becoming very handsome, Harry," she told him, sounding very serious despite the small smile.

Her hands went over his stomach and down to the edge of his swimsuit again. He was holding his breath, afraid to breathe.

Finishing his body, she put the pot of lotion in his hand. "You can do your own legs later, but now it's your turn to protect me," she said as she closed her eyes. "Do a good job; I'm trusting you."

Very carefully, he put lotion on her face and neck, as she'd done for him. There was no way he was going to touch her anywhere on the front, as he felt she'd probably give him a fireball in the face. Moving around her he started to work on her back.

After a moment, he began to enjoy touching her smooth soft skin. He stopped when he saw her reach behind her. As he was about to ask what was wrong, he saw her untie her top and pull the strings out of his way, holding the top to only the front of her with one arm across her breasts. With her back completely bare, he continued rubbing lotion on.

Only because she wasn't facing him could he tell her, "You're very pretty, or is that like saying the water is wet?"

Her shoulders moved a little as she chuckled. "Thank you, Harry, but why do you say that? Why am I like water?"

Now Harry chuckled. "No, to say that water is wet is to state the obvious." He reached her lower back and hesitated for a moment. She hadn't stopped him and was even inviting him to do this he realized. He tentatively touched her on the top bit of her bum that showed, just touching the edge of her swimsuit; she didn't react negatively at all, so he continued with a little more confidence. "Aren't all Veela beautiful?"

"No," she said with amusement. "There aren't many, but there are a few ugly ones. They have to use their allure more often to make them seem prettier than they really are."

He moved his hands to her hips and went up her sides with the last of the lotion, causing her to giggle and squirm. "You're ticklish."

"A little," she said as she danced out of his reach and turned around. Carefully, she pulled her strings back and retied her top. "Perhaps one day you can do my front too," she told him with a smile that melted him before she stepped back over. "Because you wore your new swimsuit, it's time for your last present."

Harry had never really thought about it, but as she stepped up to him and put her arms around his neck, he realized they were the same height. All thought left him as she closed her eyes and moved her lips to his.

When they parted, he found that his hands were on her sides and he could feel every inch of her that was pressed against him.

"Not bad, but let's try again. I'm not sure you were ready," she told him breathily.

They kissed again and he paid a lot more attention, trying to at least match her.

"Better," she told him when they stopped. "I think more practice will help and we can try again later … if you want."

Actually, he was having a hard time answering as his brain was still recovering from the idea that he had just kissed a Veela. "Yeah, that'd be lovely."

"Good," she told him as she reached for the pot of lotion and began to spread in on the front of herself, watching him the whole time.

He couldn't help but watch her and wish that he was the one putting the lotion on her. It was with great difficulty that he spread the lotion on his own legs.

When she finished her legs too, she spread a big towel on the sand in sun and laid down. "Feel free to ask me any questions about your reading."

Harry finally blinked and moved over to his normal chair, groping for his book. It took him several minutes to realize he was holding it upside down. He didn't think he was going to learn very much today because he kept thinking about the kisses, holding her, and wondering if she really liked _him_.

— — —

Ginny looked at the envelope in her hand and scowled before pocketing it. She had been afraid of this and now wondered if she had the courage to do what she had thought about. Her class list for next year was correct, but the other letter…

"Mum, may I contact Professor McGonagall on the Floo? There seems to be some mistake with my classes," Ginny said, hoping her mother didn't ask to see the letter.

"Oh? What's wrong dear?"

"I think there was some confusion and I received the wrong letter. If I could talk to her, I don't think it would take but a few minutes to straighten out. I have my tests scores upstairs. I'd need to take those to show her."

"Ron, is your letter correct?" Molly Weasley asked her son.

"Yeah, Mum. I just need to mark down what NEWT classes to take and that letter can go back," Ron said.

"I could take his letter to her when I talk to her, Mum. It would be easier to straighten it out in person," Ginny suggested, hoping for a yes.

Molly wiped her damp hands on a kitchen towel. "I can check with her. Ron, mark your classes in case the professor is in."

Ginny waited eagerly while her mother made a Floo call, one that lasted a couple of minutes.

When the woman pulled her head out of the fireplace, she looked at her daughter. "Professor McGonagall doesn't think there was any error, but you can go through to talk to her. Go get your test scores."

Ginny ran up to her room and did pull her test scores out, along with something else that she hid in the parchments. Downstairs, Ron gave her his letter for his sixth year classes and she traveled to the Deputy Headmistress's office.

"Miss Weasley, what seems to be the problem?" the teacher asked, looking a little annoyed.

The girl took a seat and pulled out the second letter and the envelope and handed them over. "Professor, as much as I appreciate the honor of being picked, I don't want to be Prefect."

McGonagall's eyebrows rose to the top of her head. "You don't? Why?"

"There are several reasons," Ginny replied. "First, it's my OWL year and I don't want to spend the time to do the job; I'd rather spend it on my studies.

"Second, I don't think the Prefects do much that's actually helpful. They also don't have much respect, or at least that's true in Gryffindor and Luna tells me that's true in Ravenclaw as well.

"Third, I don't believe the professors take Prefects seriously or people like Draco Malfoy wouldn't be a Prefect - someone who abuses the position without losing it. Another example of choosing the wrong person is that Harry should have been Prefect, not Ron.

"Personally, I think you should stop having Prefects and have something simple like 'House Leaders', someone who can answer questions for the younger students, like give tours to the first years and give advice to second years at the end of their year before they have to sign up for their electives. That's all that is really needed and the current Prefects, even Hermione and my brother Ron, don't really do that." Ginny shrugged.

McGonagall stared at her for a long moment. It was obvious she was very surprised. "I see," she finally said very slowly. "Do you honestly believe most students think this or is it only yourself?"

"I haven't taken a survey, Professor, but I'd say that almost everyone I know doesn't have much respect for the Prefects," the redhead replied. "The situation is worse in Ravenclaw where students are picked on and the Prefects participate in that instead of stopping it. I can't imagine being in Slytherin with Malfoy as a Prefect. Hufflepuff may be the only house where it works, but I don't have a good enough friend there to really know."

"I see." McGonagall picked up the badge and examined it as if expecting it to have the answer she was looking for. "Thank you for your candor, Miss Weasley. There will be Prefects this coming year, but I shall consider your words and discuss it with the rest of the faculty concerning future years."

"You're welcome, Professor. Before I return home, may I go to the kitchens for a few minutes?" She gripped the thin stack of parchments in her hand, hoping she would be taking one less home with her.

"Why?" McGonagall asked, very surprised at the unusual question.

"I, uh, I'd like to talk to a house-elf there," Ginny said a little shyly, more uncertain now.

The teacher studied the student for a moment. "I can't say that I've ever known you to do something unusual without a good reason, but you're being very vague, Miss Weasley."

Ginny wasn't sure she wanted to say, but she also didn't want to wait a month until school started to do this either. "I want to talk to Dobby." She finally looked up and saw her professor still looking at her expectantly. "I, uh, I want to know if he'll take a letter to Harry for me."

McGonagall's stern look softened a little. "Dobby!" she called out as she snapped her fingers.

A few seconds later, the elf popped into the room. "Professor called for Dobby?"

"Yes, Dobby, Miss Weasley has a question for you." The teacher looked at her student, as did the elf.

Ginny searched for her letter in the stack of parchment. "Dobby, I know that you like Harry Potter."

Dobby nodded vigorously. "Harry Potter is the best wizard in the world."

"Yes, he is very special," Ginny agreed with a smile and held the letter out. "Can you please take this to him? I can't send it to him with an owl."

The elf turned sad and started to tug at his ears as he looked down. "Dobby can not. Only one elf can visit Harry Potter now and Dobby is not the special elf."

Ginny pulled the letter back and reached out with her other hand and patted the elf on the shoulder. "I'm sorry you can't go to him, Dobby. If I find a way to get a letter to him, should I tell him that you'd like to visit him?"

Dobby brightened. "Yes. You would be a very good witch if you could allow Dobby to visit Harry Potter."

"Then I will try," Ginny assured him sincerely. Looking up, she said, "Thank you for allowing me to try, Professor."

"You're welcome, Miss Weasley. That was also a very good idea, one that none of us had considered. What will you try next?"

"I have a few more vague ideas that I will have to give thought to now," she said tiredly. "Thank you again, Professor." Ginny used the Floo to return home.

"Is everything worked out, Ginny?" her mother asked.

"Yes, Mum. Professor McGonagall took care of it." Ginny went to her room to think and plan.

— — —

"Good night, Harry," Fleur told him as she gave him a light kiss. "I hope you had a happy birthday."

"The best that I can remember," he told her. "Really," he added at her dubious look.

"I'm glad then. Good night." She walked towards her bedroom for a little time to herself before going to sleep. She thought she had made some good progress today on enticing Harry to be her boyfriend.

Harry sat down in the chair in front of the unlit fireplace, thinking about the girl. There was no denying that she seemed to like him in some way. There was some similarity between her actions and Cho's the previous year. The time with Cho hadn't worked out very well, but he also felt that Fleur's and Cho's reasons for wanting to be with him were very different.

But what were Fleur's reasons? Was it some Veela thing? Or was it real? He felt certain it wasn't because he was The-Boy-Who-Lived. She hadn't cared two years ago and other than finding out his adventures, she hadn't really asked about anything else he was "famous" for.

Fleur had asked about his likes and dislikes, what he wanted to do, what he thought about things. It was like two people who were trying to get to know one another. It was so … normal, he thought for a moment.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He supposed he'd just have to go along with it all and see what happened. Whatever else happened, he would have say that it had been a great day and that she was brilliant kisser.

* * *

(Thu, 1 Aug)

Harry finished his morning jog in his normal T-shirt and shorts. At the end, he met Fleur coming out of the ocean, in her normal bikini. Breakfast was normal, as were the morning lessons. Harry was still trying to figure her out as they had lunch.

After lunch, Fleur looked at him mischievously. "Are you going to change into your Speedo for the afternoon?"

Harry gulped, but a thought occurred to him and he tried to hide his grin. "Are you going to wear your blue bikini?"

"The same deal?" she asked, wetting her lips before smiling at him.

He nodded. "I agree."

Her smile grew as she walked towards her bedroom, putting a little extra sway in her hips as she went.

Harry decided to try for another kiss later as he went to change. She did say he should practice. They did … three times.

— — —

Ginny sent her fourth letter to Harry, borrowing Ron's little owl. She didn't trust the family owl, Errol. As she watched it fly to the Diagon Alley post office, she hoped this one would be successful. If it wasn't, she could only think of one other thing to do and she wasn't sure if it would work nor how long it might take that letter to arrive.

Looking down from her upper story window, she saw members of the Order of the Phoenix start to arrive for tonight's meeting. She had not been invited, neither had Ron and Hermione. The matter with Harry was considered settled and it was back to business as usual.

She wondered if Hermione was trying as hard as she was to contact Harry. She had purposefully not mentioned any of her ideas to Hermione nor would she if she was successful. Ginny thought that Harry would appreciate each person proving him or herself.

Ginny returned to her desk and looked at the letter from Dean lying there. The two of them had talked a little at the end of last year and she was sure he was interested in her. She had to admit, she did like him enough to date him, but should she?

She could since Harry wasn't here, but what would Harry think if he heard she was dating someone else? She wanted to be friends with Harry and that meant she could date someone else if they were _only_ friends. But if they could become more, would dating Dean ruin her chances with Harry?

Then there was Fleur's suggestion. One moment she was willing, another moment and she thought it was stupid. She purposefully didn't consider what her parents might think as it was practically a given they wouldn't be happy if she left home before finishing school. What was she to do?

* * *

(Sat, 3 Aug)

Harry looked at the bugs on the ground in front of him as he knelt in their vegetable garden. Small plants were starting to become visible and the bugs were going after the plants. In Surrey, he would have used some sort of pesticide to keep bugs away from the roses there, but that didn't seem right for plants to be used for food.

"Kreacher!" Harry called as he moved back and leaned against a tree.

"Yes, Master," the elf answered after he popped in.

"We have pests here - bugs. Do you know of a way to protect our plants?"

"Kreacher does not, other than using fingers." Kreacher looked as disgusted by that as Harry felt.

"I'll have to find another way then." He waved the elf away and considered it.

He'd ask Fleur later, in case she knew. She was off somewhere at the moment, doing whatever she liked when she was alone.

Traditionally, their Saturday mornings were like the weekdays, but Saturday afternoon and all day Sundays were free time. Not that they didn't have plenty of free time during the week, as they ended all lessons before dinner. They normally spent the evenings talking, or playing games; she had brought a few back with her from home. Fleur didn't like to fly as much as he did, but he convinced her to fly with him occasionally. Sometimes they spent time alone since they saw so much of each other normally.

Since his hands were already dirty, he reached down and pinched a bug. It made quiet crunch and a mess, which he removed by wiping his finger and thumb on the ground.

Deciding not to wait, he rose and went to the library room and started searching. By the time Fleur returned, he had found a book on household wards. There was no table of contents, so he just started reading it and became absorbed by it very quickly.

"What are you reading?" she asked when she found him.

"It's about household wards and it interesting to see how they apply the runes and magic," he told her. "I was just reading about the fire suppression ward."

"That's very standard. This house has one," she said.

"Really?"

"Yes. Come this way and I'll show you. I found it when I examined the house for wards the day after I arrived." She led him the front door and pointed at the door. "Do the revealing charm I showed you."

"How did you know they were there?" he asked as he pulled out his wand.

"That is a lesson we will cover in about a month, I think. The charm?" she prompted him.

Harry cast the revealing charm and a large series of runes glowed over the door for nearly ten seconds before they faded out.

"Did you see the fire suppression runes series?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I think. It was there, but in the middle of another longer series." He looked at her with curiosity. "Is that normal?"

"It depends on when it was created. You can usually judge when wards were established by how they were done. At various periods in time, different styles were used," she explained.

"And this style?"

"It is common for work done in the mid-1800's. Therefore, I would assume this house was originally built then. The inside," she waved her hand around the room, "has been remodeled since then, but there was no reason to recast the wards. These are very good wards and why I was willing to leave you here alone for a few days."

"Oh, OK." He looked back at his book for a moment. "Do you know any charms or wards to remove bugs from a vegetable garden?"

She smiled at him. "I know a charm to remove them for a short time, but they will come back. If you want something that lasts over time, it would be a ward. No, I don't know one for that," she said with a grin, anticipating his question. "We would either have to find one or create one."

"How hard would it be to create one?"

Fleur shrugged. "I have only ever created very simple ones in class. A ward to protect our garden could take a month or more of full-time work to create the correct series and to calculate the proper power runes. Rune-masters who are good are rare and highly paid," she informed him. "It's much easier to be a curse breaker," she told him with a chuckle.

He laughed with her. "Then I shall have to read a lot to find a ward for our plants."

* * *

(Fri, 9 Aug)

After their morning exercises and breakfast, each of them packed a bag for their trip. Harry also made sure his trunk of money was securely closed.

"I think I'm ready," he told her, "or at least ready as I'll ever be." He looked at her doubtfully. "Is it possible your parents will be gone?"

She chuckled at his hesitation. "Do not worry, Harry. They will like you, even Father. Do you have the Portkey to return to the island?"

"I do," he said as he patted his pocket to reassure himself that he did.

"Then come touch my ring Portkey and we will be off."

Harry walked over, the strap for his bag of clothes over his shoulder, one hand on the trunk, and one hand on her hand. After a nod to her, he felt the pull behind his navel and they were off.

A moment later, they landed on the front porch of a large house. Between his hand on her hand and his trunk, he didn't fall over and was pleased with that.

They had barely walked into the house when Fleur was hit by a blonde missile with more silver in her hair than Fleur had. The girl was also talking in rapid French. Fleur had been teaching him a little French, but Harry hadn't understood more than few words in the entire spiel from the young girl.

As the girl stopped for a moment, Fleur turned the girl's attention to him. "Gabrielle, do you remember Harry Potter?"

Gabrielle looked around her sister and saw him for the first time since their arrival. "Harry!" she squealed and bounded to him and squeezed him around the middle in a hug.

"Hi, Gabrielle. Are you doing well?" he asked, not sure how much English she knew.

"I iz good," she said, much like Fleur had talked two years ago. "Are you?"

"Yes, I'm well." He was prevented from continuing by the entrance of a couple who had to be Fleur's parents. The man looked to be about 40 with a goatee and a calculating look; the woman could pass for Fleur's much older sister and only had a few streaks of Veela silver in her hair.

"Harry, this is my father, Jean-Aimé, and my mother, Apolline. This," Fleur turned to Harry with a large smile, "is my special friend and student and business contact, Harry Potter."

"Mr Potter," her father said neutrally as he put out his hand and they shook.

"Mr Delacour." Harry wasn't sure what to make of the very reserved man yet. Turning slightly, he said, "Mrs Delacour," as he took her hand and kissed the back of it, as Fleur had coached him. Both parents' accents were light, much as Fleur's was now.

"I'm glad you could come and we welcome you to our home," Apolline told him in a very friendly manner. "Won't you come sit with us?"

"Thank you, I'd be delighted," he told them, hoping he sounded like he was. Despite Apolline's friendly manner, he was almost terrified of Jean-Aimé.

Fleur took his arm and let him escort her into the living room, where she sat on a sofa next to him in a very cozy manner, he thought. A little cozier then what he thought she should have based on the look her father gave them. Fleur didn't seem to notice - or perhaps she didn't care.

"You seem to wear many hats, Mr Potter," Jean-Aimé said, not unfriendly but not warmly either. "How do you manage being a student, business contact, friend…"

There was no doubt in Harry's mind that the man was asking just how good a friend he was. "It's not very difficult, Mr Delacour. Your daughter manages most of it with ease. When she came to, err, visit me, it was as a friend since we had met two years ago. Because she had finished Beauxbatons and wanted to stay where I was, I decided to hire her as a tutor. She controls the schedule. As for business," he shrugged, "I don't really have many needs, but if Gringotts wants her to work with me then I'm happy they chose someone so pleasant." He wasn't sure the man was happy with that answer, but he acknowledged it with a nod.

"Fleur said in her letter," Apolline jumped in, "that you were traveling to Paris on business?"

"Uh, right. I have a meeting with Gringotts about my accounts," he said vaguely and noticed Jean-Aimé raise one eyebrow at that for some reason.

"I also hope," Fleur spoke up, "that I can convince Harry to have his eyes fixed. It's a shame he has to hide his gorgeous eyes behind those glasses." She batted her eyes at him.

"Of course, they are a very beautiful green," her mother agreed with a smile.

"I think zo too," Gabrielle piped up.

Harry blushed and looked down, causing Gabrielle to giggle and Fleur to chuckle. Looking up, he saw that Apolline was smiling at him and Jean-Aimé looked more thoughtful than anything now.

The questioning continued through lunch and Harry even heard a few stories about Fleur that turned her red in embarrassment.

As they said good-bye to continue on the Paris, Harry as relieved to see Jean-Aimé looking at least a little cordial.

"Mr Potter, it was good to meet you." The friendliness was then dropped. "You will take proper care of my daughter while you are with her?"

"Of course, Mr Delacour. I'd guard her with my life," he replied sincerely.

That mollified the man and his fraction of friendliness returned. "Thank you, that's all I can ask, I suppose."

Apolline stepped forwards and gave Harry a light hug, touching checks with him. "I'm glad you could visit so we could meet you. You are every bit as wonderful as Fleur has said."

Harry looked at his teacher for a moment, wondering just what she had told her mother. He had let her borrow Hedwig twice to exchange letters home.

"Oh, I almost forgot; this came for you yesterday." Apolline grabbed a letter from a side table and gave it to Fleur, who pocketed it without looking at it.

"Thank you, Mother. Father. Gabrielle." Fleur gave each a hug.

"Will I zee you zoon?" Gabrielle asked as she wrapped her arms around Harry's waist.

"Probably not until Christmas," Harry told her. "You'll be in school next time we come." He had learned that Gabrielle was leaving for her second year at Beauxbatons in a few weeks.

"All right," she sighed as she let him go.

The two headed to Paris via the Floo.

— — —

Harry dropped his traveling bag on his bed and wondered how this trip would turn out. He'd let Fleur plan it all and it wasn't until now that he'd found out that she'd reserved one room for the two of them. They had separate beds, but the arrangement was a bit of a shock to him.

As he looked questioningly at her again, she chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure I'm fine with this, Harry. We can each change in the bathroom. Get your trunk and let's take it to Gringotts. The sooner it is there the better I will feel. If anyone were to know exactly what's in there, we could be in very deep trouble."

He nodded as he didn't want anyone to steal it either and grabbed the trunk with extra lightening charms on it. He would have thrown his Invisibility Cloak over it, but it only activated when on a person. The trunk was too big to be hidden when he was wearing the cloak too.

Fortunately, the Paris branch of Gringotts was not far from where they were staying and they made it there safely. With Fleur's help in her Liaison position, they were quickly taken to down to a vault.

"This vault is linked with your vault in London," the goblin told him. "Putting something in here is the same as if you had put it in there. If you need an item from your London vault, you must request it at least eight hours before you need it so that we may transfer it here. There is also a small fee for transfers," he told Harry.

Harry considered that. "How much would the fee be if I wanted it all transferred here?"

The goblin gave him a slight smile, showing the ends of some very sharp teeth. "One half of one percent."

He looked at Fleur. "It is the standard rate for preferred customers," she assured him.

Before he told the goblin yes, he decided to ask a question. "If I told you that you could do it whenever you had time as long as it was done within the next month, would that decrease the fee?"

Fleur gave him a look of respect, but stayed silent.

"Very shrewd," the goblin told him. "I will speak with my manager. I am not authorized to approve the changing of rates, but there is a small possibility he would say yes."

Harry opened the trunk and pulled out a bag of gold before they returned to the surface with the trunk of gold now safe. When the goblin left to get his manager, he looked at Fleur.

"I think there is a very good chance they will decrease the fee," she whispered, "but it probably depends on what else they have to do. Do you plan to live here permanently?"

He shrugged. "I think I will return there one day, but I don't know that I want to live there all the time. I'm more concerned about my money being in a country that doesn't always treat me well."

The goblin returned a few minutes later with an amused look. "We will drop the fee to one third of one percent for being able to move the contents over a period of six weeks."

"I think I will soon; I'll let you know when," Harry told him.

Outside, Fleur showed him around the shopping district. "In English, you would call it the Central Magic Center. Centuries ago, it was outside of Paris, but Paris has grown so much it is now inside it. To the Muggles, it looks like a large warehouse."

"But it looks like we're outside," Harry replied, pointing to the sky.

She chuckled as she explained. "It once was, but not anymore. The ceiling is like the ceiling at Hogwarts now. We really are in a building. As you can see," she pointed down the 'main street', "a very strong space expansion ward has been set up, even if the original building is large."

"It does look as large as Hogsmeade in here," he replied in wonder. "Not too different from Diagon Alley, though. The signs are in French, but there's the same type of shops."

"Our needs are the same," she stated casually. "If you see any place you want to stop, let me know."

They spent day slowly wondering around. At one point, Fleur even took his hand, lightly holding it as they walked down the street. Harry just smiled at her, adding this new action of hers to his mental list of things she did that he didn't have an answer for. He had to admit that it was pleasant.

— — —

They arose early the next morning. Harry did his best to avoid looking at Fleur too closely, which she seemed to be smirking about. She'd worn a long T-shirt to bed, one that hugged her closely.

After they had eaten breakfast, they took all of their things to the Paris Medical Clinic. Harry was amazed that his name wasn't required; they were quite willing to do the procedure anonymously. Fleur indicated that paying in Galleons at the beginning helped a lot.

A healer came in and gave Harry a quick check-up, with Fleur translating. She had been teaching him a little French, but they weren't that far along yet.

"Is it possible for this to fail?" he asked a little fearfully. Harry did want his eyes fixed, but going blind wasn't something he wanted. He'd deal with glasses first.

The healer smiled and answered. Fleur smiled too and translated. "He says that there has not been a failure since the potion was perfected, almost 300 years ago. He also said it's not used much because most people don't want to pay for it. I still think it is the right thing for you to do."

Harry nodded, feeling only a little better.

The healer opened a box he'd brought with him and pulled a jar about the size of a pint from a pub and opened the lid. He said something else as he held out his hand and picked up a small knife in the other hand.

"He needs your hand, Harry," Fleur said. "He needs to add three drops of blood to it so it will be keyed to you."

The blood was added and the cut was healed quickly. The potion turned from light yellow to a golden color. The healer held it out and spoke again.

"He says to drink it as quickly as you can and then lie back. He'll return in six hours to check on you. It should be finished in twelve hours. You'll also have to be blind-folded to avoid light." At his fearful look, she added softly. "Don't worry. I'll be here the entire time and I'll protect you. I'll even lock the door with some special spells."

Harry kicked off his shoes and took the jar. Taking a big breath, he gulped the potion as fast as he could. By the time he finished and let out his breath, he was already feeling dizzy. Fleur moved him around so he was lying on the bed instead of sitting. The healer was casting some spells on him and nodding with an approving look. Then the pain hit and his world went black.

— — —

Slowly, Harry came to again, only to panic. "I'm blind…"

A hand rubbed his chest as a voice whispered in his ear. "You're safe, Harry. You can't see because of the blindfold we put on you. Remember?"

Forcing his deep breaths to slow, Harry focused on Fleur's voice and her hand that was caressing him. "I, I don't remember the blindfold. I remember you talking about it, but…"

"Shush, it's all right. I think you had passed out by then. Healer Dumont wasn't surprised by that. He also came by half way through and said you were doing well. He should be back soon as your time is up."

When she lightly kissed his temple, he realized that she had been lying in bed with him, her arm protectively over him. It made him feel safe for some reason and he enjoyed it.

Soon, there was a knock on his door. Fleur got up and unlocked the door with several spells and the voice of the healer was clearly heard.

"Are you ready, Harry?" she asked.

"Oui," he said, using one of few dozen words he'd learned so far.

Fleur said something and the healer chuckled as he began to unwrap the bandage over Harry's head. "Close your eyes," she told him.

A moment later, he felt the last of the bandage being removed and a spell being uttered.

"He says it looks good. Open your eyes," she commanded.

Blinking slowly, Harry looked around and saw a darkened room. However, there was just enough light that he could see both of them clearly without his glasses. All his fears left him and he let out a big sigh. "It worked!"

The healer chuckled again and patted Harry on the shoulder as he turned to leave.

"Merci!" Harry called out.

"Bienvenue," Healer Dumont said with a wave as he walked out.

"What did he say?"

"It translates to: you're welcome. Ready to go?" Fleur asked, smiling herself.

"Just one thing first," Harry told her as he sat up. Grabbing his old glasses from the nightstand, he tossed them into the trash bin, feeling very pleased. "Thank you, Fleur," he told her sincerely.

"You're welcome, Harry." She reached out and grabbed his hand. "Let's go back. I have a new swimsuit I haven't worn yet. Let's _see_ how you like it," she told him impishly as she let him out.

Harry had to chuckle at her play on words. He also looked forward to the experience.

* * *

(A/N: This chapter is not beta'd.)


	6. Other Friends

(A/N: Sorry for the delay in getting this out, but at least you're getting it this week. :) Fortunately, the family crises have mostly settled down, so I'm going to try to get ch 7 out next Tuesday, but there's no guarantee.

Good news. AlekTas has convinced me to let him beta this story. So you'll see the story start to smooth out as far as the writing goes. He's already made several good suggestions and pointed out inconsistencies to be fixed. He's also willing to do the back chapters too, so I'll be reposting those as time (for both of us) permit. Thank you very much Alexander! He has an account here, so feel free to PM him and tell him thank you for helping me. I'm sure he'd appreciate it.

Here's the letters that some have been looking for. And yes, I am making up traditions here. :)

I'll also say that I believe the books tell us only about 5 things about Veela, which is very little. However, when I wrote 'Accidental Bond', I had to start thinking how Veela are, individually and as a culture. In essence I've created a whole set of notes for how I think they might live. That's expressed a little in 'AB' and continued here more fully in this story. I have a 3rd Veela story (mostly outlined) that features the Veela and makes heavy use of those notes ... although I'm not sure I'll ever release it. I bring all of this up to say that while various things about the Veela may seem unusual and not found anywhere in the books, I do have a reason for why they're that way. I'm also doing things this way because I'm lazy and don't want to have to think about all of that again. :)

* * *

**Chapter 6 - Other Friends**

(Sun, Aug 10)

It was a usual lazy Sunday morning for both of them. Fleur did go swimming and Harry took a break from his normal routine to join her.

"That's a lot easier without glasses," he said with a grin as they walked back to the house. His grin was also caused by how much easier it was to look at her and he certainly appreciated what he saw.

"I would imagine," she replied as she dried her hair with a charm.

They each returned to their rooms and changed before sitting down to have breakfast together.

Harry noticed that she brought a stack of parchment with her. "Since you just saw your family, are you writing a friend?"

She looked at the stack and said, "No," while looking oddly pleased. "One of them is a letter that my mother gave me when we visited a two days ago."

"Right," he said as he continued his breakfast. "I remember her giving you some letters."

Fleur watched him as she slowly ate her fruit. "I'd like you to read them."

He froze, his fork halfway to his mouth. "Why should I read a letter from one of your friends or family?"

Finishing her bite, she let his question hang in the air as she picked up the stack and looked through it unhurriedly. Pulling out one, she set it on the table in front of him. "Because I think you're ready to read these without burning them." He blushed slightly and looked away, making her feel as if she had read the situation correctly. "Also because I promised someone that I'd get you to read it if she could demonstrate she was still your friend. I think getting a letter to you even though you have closed almost all ways of communicating with you shows she's serious about being your friend."

He looked at the letter as if afraid it would bite him. After a moment he realized he didn't recognize the handwriting that showed his name. "That's not Hermione's or Ron's writing."

"No, it's not from either of them," Fleur agreed. "All four are from the same person. That one was written shortly after you arrived at your relatives, but she was prevented from sending it to you."

Not sure he wanted to resume contact with any of his old school friends, yet curious now, he reached out slowly for it. He now remembered Fleur saying someone had tried to write him before, but it had been easy to ignore it all then. Now that he didn't feel quite so upset with them, perhaps he would read it.

He unfolded it and looked at the bottom of the second page. "Ginny?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice.

"Read it, Harry," she encouraged him.

"Have you read it?" he asked.

"Ginny let me read the first three. I haven't read the last one," she admitted.

Harry nodded and looked at it again, noticing the date indicated it was written five days after they had left school.

By the time he finished the letter, he had a few tears going down his cheeks, which he wiped away roughly. It took him a few minutes to regain his composure and ability to talk, time he used to consider what Ginny had written.

In many ways it was just banter written down. She talked about how much it meant to her that he trusted her to let her go with him to the Department of Mysteries to fight. She also talked about missing Sirius and asked him how he was doing, as well as if there was anything she could do to help him. It was much like having her sit beside him and talk.

"I, I would have given everything I had for that letter when she wrote it," he finally said thickly, more tears threating to fall.

Fleur reached out and took his hand in hers, giving him a little squeeze to know she was there for him.

He gave her a strained smile and squeezed back, having to work hard to prevent more tears.

Silently, she picked up the next one and put it in front of him. "When you're ready … this one was written about the time you fell unconscious."

Taking a deep breath, he let go of her and picked this one up, unfolding it with hands that trembled slightly. This was only a single page, but it impacted him no less. She spoke of a few things about her summer, but she mostly wanted to know how he was doing and the way she wrote was so real, like she knew how he felt.

Trying to help a little more, she picked up the letters with one hand and tugged on him with the other until he stood. Pulling him over to the sofa, she sat down and pulled him to her so he was sitting in front her and she could wrap her arms around him from behind.

"I will hold you as you read them," she whispered in his ear. "You'll be safe with me." As she lightly rubbed his chest, he picked up the third letter. "That one was written just before I joined you here."

This letter was nearly three full pages. Fleur read it again over his shoulder. This was where the girl had really poured her heart out to him, telling him how she saw him and those around him. It was also where the treachery of others was fully exposed. Ginny had held nothing back, making scathing statements in regards to what Ron, Hermione, Mrs Weasley, Dumbledore, and the other adults had done.

Feeling his breathing deepen and quicken, Fleur pulled him to her and held him tightly. "Shush," she spoke very softly, "it is all right; you will be all right with me."

She held him tightly and mumbled soothing sounds as he muttered angrily at his other friends, former friends who had not tried to contact him at all that Ginny was aware of. The adults who prevented her from seeking out Harry hadn't helped.

He twisted in Fleur's embrace and hugged her tightly as he could while sitting in her lap, sobbing on her shoulder.

"You have four good friends, Harry. If you count Gabrielle you have five." She made a mental note to write Gabrielle and have her write Harry. She had no doubt her sister would do it gladly, as the little girl adored Harry.

It took a long moment, but he slowly nodded. "You're right. I should be thankful for those."

"You can read the last one whenever you're ready. I'll hold you," she told him firmly, willing him to believe she could make it all better.

He needed a few more minutes, but eventually he picked up the last letter and opened it slowly. Still sitting sideways on her lap, despite the fact that he was slightly heavier, he read the final letter while she held him. He also held it out in front of him so she could see it too.

This one was a single page and mostly told about her trying to reach him and hoping he wrote her back. It ended by saying, "I'll always be your friend, Harry, and more if you want it."

Fleur thought that was really bold of her and hoped she hadn't pushed Harry too hard.

Harry leaned over put his head on her shoulder, even if he did have to slouch a little to do so.

As she continued to hold him and started to caress his back lightly, Harry said with a tired voice, "Do you think that she's only writing me because she wants to be my girlfriend?"

In many ways, it was a very good question, she thought. "No," she said finally, "I think she truly wants to be your friend; but if you were to ask her to be your girlfriend, she'd take it. How do you feel about that?"

He played with the edge of the parchment for a moment. "I don't know."

"You don't have to decide right now. I was merely curious." Gently, she pulled the letter from his hand and dropped it with the others on the floor. Urging him up, she moved down and laid on the sofa before patting the space next to her. "Lay down with me, Harry. Rest and think, or take a nap. This has been difficult for you, but also good I think. Come," she urged him again.

Slowly, he sat down in the middle and turned, making himself comfortable against her as he laid his head on her shoulder.

"Put your arm over my stomach, Harry. I won't bite you, unless you want me to," she added the last part a little teasingly.

He snorted softly and smiled, but he also complied.

Wrapping an arm around his back, she snuggled him in. "There, this is our rest day, so rest. You can write her back later."

When he didn't say anything for a few minutes, she thought he had gone to sleep. However, she heard him whisper, "Thank you for being here." She kissed the top of his head and held him.

Despite the emotional time, she was really very pleased. He had read the letters from Ginny and he had dealt with a lot of the emotion he had been keeping inside of him. Turning to her for comfort just made it all that much better for her. She had mixed emotions about a few things, Ginny included, but she was reasonably happy about how things were working out.

* * *

(Tue, Aug 12)

"Enter!"

Severus Snape walked into his supervisor's office and took a seat.

"You look remarkably well for having attended a meeting while bearing less than pleasant news," Albus Dumbledore said with slight amusement in his voice.

"I'm also surprised that that he took the 'leak' that Potter has left the country and won't return in September as well as he did. In fact," Snape paused just long enough it was obvious he did it for the drama, "he laughed."

"Oh?" Dumbledore raised a bushy eyebrow at that observation. "I take it that fits into his plans in some way. Did you hear anything specific?"

"No, not from him. Afterward, I heard Yaxley mention to another that he had almost all of his 'people' in place. I believe that means the Ministry will be attacked soon."

Dumbledore sighed. "I so wish that Fudge hadn't wasted a year. Scrimgeour as Minister might make a difference if he had enough time and wasn't so fixated on having Harry help his image, but as things stand now, I'm afraid it's all about to take a turn for the worse."

"Losing Bones recently was severe blow as well," Snape commented sourly. "Do we really have any hope?"

"There's always hope, Severus. The early 1940's looked bleak as well, but we prevailed in the end," Dumbledore pointed out. "I do wish young Harry was here for us to train, but we shall have to trust that task to Miss Delacour."

"Why do you put such stock into the brat," sneered Snape.

"You heard the first part of the prophecy," Dumbledore gently reminded him. "Harry has been surprisingly resourceful over the years when it counted."

Snape sat quietly for a moment. "I suppose," he said begrudgingly, "the confrontations have been in his favor, I just wish it wasn't him."

Dumbledore let out a small chuckle. "My dear Severus, if it wasn't Harry, it would be young Neville Longbottom that we'd be depending on. While I hold Mr Longbottom in high regard and think he will do well in the future, I'd prefer to rely on Harry to deal with the Dark Lord. Wouldn't you?"

"Neither appeal to me, if I must be truthful," Snape finally said with distaste. "On to other unpleasant news … Draco Malfoy received the Dark Mark last evening and the task to kill you, if he wants to see his father alive next summer."

"Hmm, that is a motivation I'd prefer he didn't have." Dumbledore thought about that for a moment. "Tell me, Severus, what do you think of young Mr Malfoy? Is he really Death Eater material or can he be redeemed as you have been?"

Snape used a long moment to consider. "I honestly don't know. It will depend on how much he's pushed and I fear the next three weeks are critical. Bellatrix Lestrange is currently staying at Malfoy Manor, so it depends on how much she influences him.

"I don't like admitting this," Snape said with a true frown, "but I will say that despite my dislike for Potter, the boy is good at keeping Draco in line. Without him here this year, Draco could become too dangerous."

"Yes," Dumbledore agreed. "I hadn't thought of it that way, but you do have a point. Keep an eye on him, Severus. If he starts crossing the line, let me know. We'll have to find a way for Minerva to catch him to protect you."

"Thank you, Headmaster."

— — —

Ginny went up to her bedroom for the evening wondering if she would hear from Harry after this latest effort or not. She had sent her letter to him via the Delacours over a week ago. She considered that Fleur might not be in regular contact with her parents, which would delay the letter. While she hoped for the best, she would try her last idea when September arrived if she had still heard nothing. If that didn't work, she didn't know what to do to contact Harry.

Putting away the stack of clean clothes on her bed, she turned around and almost screamed bloody murder when she saw a face in her window. She had barely stopped herself, recognizing it to be elfish at the last split second.

"Kreacher?" she asked quietly even though her heart was pounding and her door was closed.

The elf lightly jumped down to the floor before digging into the bag strapped over his shoulder and pulling out a letter for her. "Master says to give this to the youngest Weasley and wait."

Ginny suppressed her desire to whoop in happiness at knowing that her letter had reached Harry and took the reply letter. Tearing it open, she pulled out a very short note.

_Ginny,_

_I've now read all 4 of your letters and I'm sorry I treated you like everyone else. You truly are my friend. If you'd like to write so we can get to know each other better, tell Kreacher you want the ink and then put 3 drops of blood into each bottle. Use that ink to write me; I will use the other bottle. That way only you and I will be able to read the letters in case they are intercepted. I hope you don't mind, but Fleur will be able to read them as well, so you can write her too with the same ink. I'll send a real letter after I receive the ink back._

_HJPB_

As she finished reading, the letter fell apart just like Howlers do, except there was no noise. "That's impressive," she muttered. Looking up at Kreacher, she said, "Kreacher, I want the ink bottles so I can write Harry."

Not saying a word, Kreacher reached into his bag and pulled out two large ink bottles. Grabbing a pin, Ginny poked her finger with a wince and squeezed out the blood for each bottle. Kreacher capped each and shook, handing her one and putting the other in his bag before disappearing with a soft pop.

With a happiness she hadn't felt in a long time, Ginny got ready for bed. It looked like she had accomplished her initial goal and had a chance at more.

* * *

(Thu, Aug 14)

While it wasn't unheard of, the fact that Ginny received a letter at breakfast was unusual enough that Ron looked at his sister and asked, "Who's that from?"

Looking at her name on the outside and suspecting the script was Fleur's, she replied, "A friend from school," as the brown delivery owl flew away.

She felt a little bad from lying to him, but only a little. She hadn't seen Ron trying to contact Harry and she had recently noticed that Ron rarely mentioned Harry any more. In fact, the last time she could remember Ron speaking about Harry in the last couple of weeks was once last week when he wondered aloud who would be Quidditch captain this year and if he might have a chance at that. Otherwise, he had been almost silent about Harry since the Order meeting when Fleur had come to The Burrow.

Hermione had surprised her too. Her letter last week mentioned that she hoped Harry was doing well but couldn't think of how to get a letter to him. Other than that one paragraph, Harry hadn't been mentioned at all. Ginny thought that was a little unusual for her friend who generally left no stone unturned when researching something. Nevertheless, that was Hermione's problem to solve, or so Ginny imagined that to be Harry's feelings on the matter.

After finishing breakfast, Ginny went to her room and locked the door to read the letter in private, even if the ink was supposed to be readable only by her. The letter was almost two full pages she noticed, all in Harry's tight handwriting.

When she'd finished it, she leaned back against the wall while sitting on her bed and thought about it.

She smiled as she considered that she's been correct in her thoughts about Harry's view on his friends. He had told her outright that she was not to mention to anyone that they two of them were communicating, except to Neville and Luna. For them, he said she could tell them and if they wanted to write, they could send their letters with Ginny's. Everyone else, no exceptions he had said, would have to find their own way to contact him. That was his new standard of friendship - perseverance.

It was a surprise to her that he had apologized for how he had thought about her for the summer. She appreciated the thought and considered that to be an indication that the "old Harry" was still alive, or at least part of him was. His one statement about the Headmaster had been quite harsh.

However, most of the letter had been him asking her various questions and him answering the same ones for himself. It was a little like being on date; they were the type of questions you asked to get to know someone. Amusingly to her, he even tried to guess at some them for her. About half of his guesses about her were either correct or close to correct, making her wonder how he knew. It appeared that he been paying more attention to her than she was aware.

In the end, she was mostly pleased. There was no doubt Harry considered her a friend and he was trying to really get to know her - Ginny, and not "Ron's sister". As for anything beyond friendship, well, he hadn't said "no".

* * *

(Sun, Sep 1)

Harry welcomed Hedwig back from one of her weekly trips to France. "How's the best owl in the world?" he cooed at her as well as petting her with one hand while removing the small package tied to one leg with the other hand.

Hedwig responded with her own coo and a barking hoot as she leaned into his hand.

"You really are the best," he told her as he found a small piece of meat and fed it to her. Grabbing his wand, he enlarged the package and opened it. Inside the small box he found several letters. He handed two to Fleur and kept the last two for himself. As he read the first one, Hedwig helped herself to the few remaining tidbits from Harry's almost clean breakfast plate.

"Who's it from?" Fleur asked him as she opened hers.

"This one is from Ginny," he replied as he made himself comfortable to read it. "Yours?"

"My mother and sister." She looked at his other letter, recognizing the writing on the outside. "That other one is from my sister."

"Oh?" he said surprised. "I wondered who it was from."

A few minutes later, Harry put the letter down and petted Hedwig some more as he considered what he'd read.

"Well?" she asked as she put the letter from her mother down and picked up her sister's.

Harry moved Ginny's letter over and Fleur switched, leaving her sister's for later.

Fleur soon put the letter down, having read it quickly, and looked at him. "She answered all of your questions, including the embarrassing one about what she thought when she first saw you five years ago."

"Yes, I've been thinking about that," he said slowly before grinning. "I thought it was interesting that my saving her actually helped her get over her crush rather than making it worse. It still took her a year to begin to talk around me, but saving her was the start she said. She was right that my adventures are dirty and rarely go well."

"She also said that seeing you act like the other boys helped," Fleur said with her own grin, "including the bad jokes and farting." She giggled at the last part.

Harry turned a little pink and gave Hedwig a little extra attention for a moment.

"Are you going to answer her question about your relatives?" Fleur asked softly, aware of his reluctance, having mentioned it only once to her.

"If I'm asking her to be honest, I have to be too, don't I?"

Fleur chuckled at his obviously rhetorical question. "Do you regret asking her to be honest now?"

To delay for a moment, Harry grabbed his glass of juice and took a drink. "No. The question is uncomfortable, but I'm learning to share it, somewhat." He played with his glass for a moment, tilting it and watching the last few drops of liquid move. "She wants more than friendship, doesn't she? I mean, I thought she did from an earlier letter, but do you know for sure?"

With a surprised look, Fleur blinked at him for a few seconds and looked like she was thinking very hard. "Would that be good or bad?" she temporized.

Now Harry was slightly surprised and decided to try to get some answers. "You've been so helpful in this before, why not now?" He recognized her avoiding the question. "Or is it because you want more than friendship and want to be my girlfriend instead? Because it seems like you do." When she didn't answer after a moment, he added, "Why else would you encourage me to kiss you?"

Fleur took a deep breath and smiled a little. "If I am to be honest too, then I will say that I'd like to be your girlfriend - too."

Harry nodded, his guess confirmed. A small part of him delighted in the idea that there were girls who seemed to like _him_ instead of The Boy-Who-Lived. The fact that there were two of them at the same time was problematic. "I really don't know what to do as I don't want to disappoint either of you."

This was a golden opportunity, Fleur thought, but how to deal with the subject and not scare him she wondered. "This isn't a bad thing, Harry."

"You're right," he sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You both just want to date me, nothing would be permanent. The problem is that you're here and she's there, so that seems unfair to her. I mean, she doesn't really have the chance to be a girlfriend like you can."

"True," Fleur agreed, "but you don't have to completely decide now anyway. You also don't know if you'll want to stay around either of us long term. We may date for a while and then break up." However, she looked like she hoped that wouldn't happen.

"That's true," he agreed, trying to keep this all theoretical in his mind lest it all make him crazy. Her next comment didn't help.

"And from what you told me, you could have two wives if you so desired…"

Harry felt his mouth drop open and his eyes go wide.

"I'm not saying you have to," Fleur hastily told him. "However, you have the opportunity to do so if you want to take it."

He sat very still and blinked at her. He also had to clear his throat as when he tried to talk nothing had come out at first. "First, are you serious? Second, if you are, why would I? Third, I can't believe that you or Ginny would share. No, this must be some joke."

Fleur sighed and did her best to hold her grimace in. She was sure she was making a mess of this despite her attempt not to. She had one hope before she abandoned the effort. "Are you aware of Wizarding traditions and laws for those that hold the headship over two Ancient Houses?"

"Huh? Wait … I think I remember Sirius saying something about the Blacks being one, but what's an Ancient House?"

Slowly, Fleur nodded and said, "I thought not. An Ancient House is a family that has been around a long time, usually over a millennia. That usually gives it a higher social standing. Even in France, we have heard of the Potters and the Blacks. The Delacours are not quite Ancient and unless my mother forces herself to have a son, they probably never will be."

"She can do that?" he asked amazed and disbelievingly.

"Only because she is a Veela and my father is not a Veela. There is a potion she can take to have a son, but it only works once and there will be no more children after that. However, most Veela won't take it," she explained with a sudden brief shudder. "You are changing the topic," she told him with a smirk indicating she had caught him.

"Now," she continued, "because you are the head of two Ancient Houses, tradition and law allows for you to have one wife for each family. The purpose is so that neither family will die out. It is also to allow you to have more children, again, so neither family will die."

"That's … that's crazy," he said finally. "Surely that doesn't happen for real, does it?"

"It is not common as most families are very careful to have heirs in some way if they can help it, but sometimes families do end up on the brink of extinction." She looked at him very seriously. "The Blacks are on the brink of extinction. There are no others and you are the head of the Black family only because Sirius made you his heir. He could only do that because you have a Black family member in your past. If you do not produce an heir, male or female, and name the child to be the Black heir, then you will have ended the family."

Harry gulped at the thought of being responsible for ending a family. He thought fast and hard about it, trying to remember the Black family tree. He couldn't, but he knew how to solve the problem. "Kreacher!"

The elf popped in. "Yes, master."

"Kreacher, if I didn't want to be the head of the Black family and wanted to pass it on, who would the head of the Black family go to? There must someone else who could continue the family?" Harry hoped there was a good answer.

It didn't take Kreacher long to say, "Draco Malfoy would become head of the Blacks. He would need to produce two heirs, one for the Malfoys and one for the Blacks."

That turned Harry's stomach. "Let's hope nothing happens to me before I have children then," he said a little distastefully, both for Malfoy taking over the family and for his need to have children - which sounded great for some day, but not anytime soon. "There's no other alternative?" he asked plaintively, hoping it didn't sound like a whine.

"No, master, Draco Malfoy is the only one." Kreacher answered and then popped away when Harry dismissed him.

He looked at her. "There are no other alternative solutions?"

She didn't want to admit it, but honesty was the best policy since she was sure he'd eventually find this out and lying to him would be bad for them and her especially. Also, part of her didn't want to admit this because it might cause him to choose Ginny and ignore her, but she really had no choice. "There is one other way…"

"How?" he asked quickly, hoping for a better answer.

After taking a deep breath, she explained, "As Kreacher explained a moment ago, you could have multiple boys from one wife and designate one for each family. Because they would have the same mother, tradition says they have to be boys. If you use different mothers, then girls would be allowed."

"Why the difference?" This was another thing that confused him about the Wizarding world.

Fleur shrugged. "That's just the way it is." She smiled slightly for the first time in several minutes. "I didn't make up the traditions."

He looked away bashfully for a moment. "Sorry, I didn't mean to imply it was your fault. It's just that it doesn't make sense to me."

"I'm not sure this is right," Fleur admitted, "but many times, daughters are seen as following the mother. Boys are normally seen as following the father. If the father has the two houses, he can split them, one boy to each house." She shrugged. "It's just not normally done with girls. That's probably wrong, but I don't know what else to tell you other than that's the way it is."

Harry looked out the window for a moment, trying to come to grips with this information, vowing to himself to see if his library had a book that talked about this. Surely between the libraries from two houses there was a book available about traditions. "I'm not sure I believe all of that, but let's pretend I do." He fixed her with a hard look. "Are you serious about doing that? About sharing me with another girl, like Ginny or someone else?"

She looked at her hands for a moment. "If I am to be honest, I'd rather not share you. However, I like you enough that I might be willing."

"Seriously?" He was astounded.

"It would depend on the girl and if you wanted to keep both families alive." She looked back up at him. "If you want to keep both families alive, and I believe you should, then I'd have to share because I can only give you one son. To be honest, I'd prefer to give you the daughter I know I'll naturally have and then make arrangements with the boy she marries to take on the Potter or Black name, but I'll take the potion for a son if I must."

Harry blinked, trying to comprehend that and yet more "whys" kept jumping to mind. "Why do you like me that much? I mean, you probably know me about as well as anyone, but it's not that much. And why are you willing to take the potion when you don't want to?"

She was in so much deeper and sharing far more than she ever planned to in this conversation that it hurt. "Harry, maybe we'll date and it won't work out for us. I don't know. But I do like you enough to be willing to see how we work out. As for the potion, wouldn't you do things for your mate, or wife, that you'd prefer not to do?"

Harry wanted to scream because this was so crazy. He also realized she hadn't said why she liked him so much. Did she not know or just didn't want to say? He decided to leave it for now. "You make it sound like Ginny would be willing to share. Would she?"

"If I had to share you, I'd prefer it be with my sister, but I won't let her take the potion if I can help it.

"With Ginny, because she was raised in a Wizarding home, I'm sure she knows of the tradition. However, I can't say for sure what her answer would be. You'd have to ask her," Fleur said a little shiftily.

He looked at her intently as her answer didn't sound completely truthful.

After a few seconds, she added hastily, "I _really_ don't know for sure what her answer would be, but I wouldn't be surprised if she said yes."

Shaking his head and blowing out an exasperated breath, Harry stood. "I'm going to go fly for a bit." As he walked to his room for his broom, he decided he'd be searching for a book on Wizarding traditions when he returned. He really hoped he found one because he wanted to know if what she had told him was true for Britain, or maybe it was just true for France and therefore wouldn't apply to him. He didn't think she was lying because he was certain that she knew that he wouldn't date her if she was lying about something important.

In fact, he might even send her away for lying about something of this magnitude and he really didn't want to do that. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was starting to think that he might like her enough to date her. That was something else he needed to think about - later.

— — —

Ginny hurried onto the Hogwarts Express along with her brother Ron. They were a little more on time now that it was just the two of them and their parents could Side-Along Apparate them directly to the train platform.

It didn't take too long to find the cabin that Hermione, Neville, and Luna were in. The group quickly caught up with what each had done over the summer.

Neville was the one to broach the most difficult topic, just as the train started to leave the station. "Where's Harry? He usually comes with you." He looked primarily at Ron, although he glanced quickly at Ginny and Hermione when Ron didn't immediately respond.

Since no one else seemed inclined to answer, Ginny replied, "Harry won't be here this year because he left during the summer."

"What?!" Neville cried, obviously shocked. Even Luna looked very interested in the answer to Neville's question.

Hermione and Ron both were looking anywhere other than at Neville and Luna, Ginny noticed. After the silence stretched on for a few more seconds and started to get awkward, Ginny shook her head in annoyance and told them, "How about I'll tell you in a few minutes since they," she tilted her head towards her brother and Hermione, "don't want to talk about it."

"We really should go to the Prefect meeting, Ron." Hermione rose and left hastily. Ron was not as hasty, but he didn't tarry either.

"What the bloody hell is that about?" Neville hissed intently, appearing as if he was ready to do bodily damage to someone.

Ginny casually pulled her wand out and cast locking and privacy charms at the entire wall the door was on.

"Early this summer," Ginny started while wishing she didn't have to say any of this, "Harry noticed a pattern in his life; namely, that most adults didn't seem to care about him. This was amply demonstrated when he tried to find information on what was happening because of our adventure to the Ministry. If I understand correctly, he wrote both of you and you both answered?"

"Yes," Neville said, a little more calmly than before.

Luna nodded. "I only wrote him once because Daddy and I were out of the country for most of the summer."

"Only once for me too," Neville added.

"You two wrote him once more than anyone else, at least if we count only meaningful letters and not three line 'Sorry, can't write you now' type letters."

"Not even Ron and Hermione?" Neville asked, now amazed.

"Especially them. I'm the only other exception and when I was discovered trying to mail my more significantly larger letters, I was denied the opportunity to send them." Ginny sighed. "As you can guess, Harry was not pleased."

"That should have been obvious to anyone who knows Harry," Luna commented.

"You'd think," Ginny said derisively. "However, all the adults, led by Dumbledore either didn't know or didn't think it through.

"Anyway, Harry became sick and Hedwig came to us and got our attention. Dumbledore was finally convinced to go check on Harry only after we hadn't heard anything for weeks and found him in a magical coma." Ginny would have laughed at her friends' gawking expression if the matter weren't so serious. "After he was healed enough to regain consciousness, Harry escaped with the help of Sirius's house-elf."

"Where is he?" Neville asked, becoming intrigued with the story, much like an accident was fascinating.

"Only two people really know, but the guess is that he's at one of the Black properties," she answered.

Neville snorted. "I would imagine that means he could be anywhere in Europe and maybe even slightly beyond based on the stories I've heard."

Ginny nodded. "The general consensus is that he's not in Britain or Ireland. Anyway, Dumbledore is the leader of a group that tries to fight, V-Voldemort," she paused after the effort and vowed to herself to get better. "They had very limited communication with Harry and when they said he needed to come back, he basically told them all to go to hell."

Neville burst out laughing and even Luna smiled. "That sounds like Harry," she said quietly. "He's always felt strongly about what he believes."

"They finally decided that they had to find someone they could send to watch over Harry, but they also had to send someone Harry trusted enough to tolerate and he didn't trust any of us." Ginny shook her head as she thought back to that time. "Do you remember the French champion from the Triwizard Tournament two years ago?"

With a slight blush, Neville nodded. Luna nodded as well, but without the blush.

"Fleur Delacour had recently joined the group and pointed out that Harry shouldn't have any reason to distrust her. So, a letter was sent and Harry responded that as long as she didn't try to force him to return, she could join him. He said he was also looking for a tutor.

"So, Fleur went in mid-July and has been there ever since. Although," Ginny grinned evilly, "she came back once and gave everyone an earful about how much they had mistreated Harry, especially Snape."

"I would have liked to have heard that," Neville said with his own grin before he looked at her thoughtfully. "You don't seem as upset about all of this as I'd expect you to be."

Ginny felt her face heat slightly and she looked away for a moment. "I was very upset for several weeks, especially at my mother who prevented me from writing him - which you can't do now as no owl but Hedwig can find him. However, I did eventually find a way to write him and he's now read all my letters."

"Good job," Luna told him as Neville nodded in agreement.

"Harry says that if you two want to write him, you can give your letters to me - secretly. I'll send them and give you the replies, but Harry doesn't want anyone else to know that we three are in contact with him." Ginny shook her head slightly again. "He seems to define friendship very carefully. Either you stick with him and do your best to be his friend, or you're not his friend at all. Sadly, he's been so hurt there is no middle ground anymore."

"Thanks, Ginny," Neville told her. "I won't tell anyone and I'll also have a letter for him soon."

"Me too," Luna added.

"What's the deal with Ron and Hermione?" Neville asked now that he knew a little more.

Ginny sighed deeply. "From what I can gather, he feels betrayed by them the most. I don't know if you remember, but the summer after their fourth year, Dumbledore told them not to write Harry. So this summer is sort of a repeat of the previous one."

Neville snorted and rolled his eyes. "And they didn't learn?"

She shook her had sadly. "No. Harry also believes that anyone who's a true friend will find a way to get a letter to him, no matter how hard that is. I will tell you that it's very hard to do. I didn't succeed until my fourth try."

"They are trying, aren't they?" Neville persisted.

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know about Hermione, but you'd think she would be. As for Ron, I don't think so, beyond trying to send one letter that no owl would take. You're really lucky that you don't have to go through that."

"If you can't owl Harry, then you should owl Fleur," Luna said matter-of-factly. "You might have to send it to her parents to get it to her though."

Ginny just blinked at her friend for a moment before she started to chuckle. "It took me two weeks to think of that. You can't tell anyone of that method."

"Of course not, that would invite a severe case of Crochworms," Luna replied. "No one wants those."

Neville kept his grin as small as he could. "Nope, I can't imagine anyone wanting that. It's the secret between the three of us."

Ginny gave them a few more details, especially on what Fleur had said during her return visit. However, they soon dropped the topic of Harry, saving it for when they heard back from him and the three could meet in secret again.

When Ron and Hermione returned, nothing was said about Harry. Ginny also noticed that there was an extra layer of tension as Neville kept giving the other two sixth-years disparaging looks, although he didn't feel quite up to saying anything more about Harry to them at this time.

— — —

Harry snapped an old book shut that evening. It was only eighteen years old and he suspected that not only was it probably still current, but that it had been purchased by his mother to answer some tradition question like he had.

At the moment, he wasn't sure if he was more disgusted or surprised that he had found confirmation that he could have two wives to prevent a family from going extinct. If he ignored his personal feelings and if he truly stretched his imagination to somewhere beyond its normal limit, he supposed he could understand why this existed. But at the moment, all he could think about was how much it went against what he believed.

A new thought hit him. Why did he believe that? If it was what the Dursleys believed, he thought it automatically suspect. He wasn't taught that at school. Did that mean it was just something his conscience objected to? Was "one man one wife" something of a built-in morality like "you don't murder"?

Hogwarts had stressed the importance of family. Given that, he could see the tradition and law making a little more sense.

In the end, he shook his head and put the book back on the shelf. He really didn't think the idea of two wives was for him. Then again, the idea of having to fight trolls, dragons, and other things had never occurred to him before he started school; so maybe he'd change his mind about this too … he was very doubtful though and had no plans to pursue it. He had years to figure out what to do to keep the Black family line going.

* * *

(Thu, Sep 19)

"Happy Birthday, Hermione," Ginny told her friend as she sat down for breakfast across from the redheaded girl.

"Thanks, Ginny."

Ron sat down next to Hermione and immediately started filling his plate. While Ron could have told the girl happy birthday in the common room or while the two were walking down here together, Ginny suspected her brother hadn't based on the glance the brunette had sent his way.

The morning owls came a few minutes later, including a medium-sized brown one that brought a small package to Ginny.

"Who's that from?" Ron asked her and Hermione looked curious as well.

"Probably some girl supplies from Mum. Do you need me to share with you?" Ginny asked sweetly.

"Err, no!" Ron replied quickly before resuming his breakfast.

Ginny caught Hermione's smirk and wasn't surprised her friend wasn't fooled. Knowing the box was from Mrs Delacour, she left it unopened, although she hurried her breakfast so she'd have plenty of time to read what was in there before her first class, which wasn't for another hour - fortunately.

The package made her think about her missing friend. Because Harry wasn't there, she wondered if she'd have to play Seeker again this year. Katie had been named Quidditch Captain, although the girl had said she'd rather it had gone to Harry. Ginny thought that if Harry had been here, he'd have been Captain.

Looking around, she thought Harry's absence was also noticeable by who people were sitting with and talking to. For example, last year, Harry's class usually sat together at meals, like most class years did. But this year they were more spread out. She'd also noticed that the group was breaking up into smaller groups, cliques even. That happened somewhat over time, but not as much as this year, or so she thought.

The biggest change had been Ron and Hermione. There had been no big fights that she was aware of, however Ginny couldn't help but notice that they didn't talk and hang around each other as much as they used to. That was true of her too. Sure, they sat near her at meals, but little was said between them.

She also noticed that Neville was sitting almost by himself, despite people being around him … sort of like her. Ginny decided she'd have to do something about that. She had enjoyed her conversations with him on the train and over the last week.

As she put it all together, Ginny finally realized Harry's influence on the school. He was leader and in many ways the "glue" that held many of them together.

She missed her friend.

— — —

Dressed in her pyjamas and sitting in the privacy of the curtains around her bed, Ginny read through her two letters one more time. She'd already given the other letters to Neville and Luna, along with a bottle of ink. As instructed, she made sure they put three drops of blood in to finish the ink potion to ensure the secrecy of their letters. Kreacher would be by to pick up the other bottles soon the letter had said.

Fleur's letter was fairly short. She said that she'd explained the concept of two wives to Harry and that he understood, although he'd been against it. No surprise, Ginny thought; she wasn't sure how much she agreed with it either, even if it did allow her to be with Harry.

Both letters had mentioned that Harry had asked Fleur to be his girlfriend, though only Fleur's had mentioned it was the day after the big discussion. Harry was very sweet and said that he hoped that she - Ginny - didn't mind if he dated Fleur. He thought Ginny was nice, but it just wasn't possible to date her at the moment.

Harry had answered all of her questions, including the one about his childhood. His answers made her want to go do bodily harm to his relatives, and she was seriously considering doing so. However, it didn't matter anymore because Harry was never going back there. Well, it mattered some because it also explained a lot about Harry that had mystified her before, like why he was so shy, especially around girls.

Ginny thought with amusement that Fleur would help him with his shyness. She also had a sneaking suspension that the Veela would help him with a lot more than that too.

With a sigh, Ginny put the letters away and did her best to think about the fact that she had accomplished her primary goal: she was Harry's friend. However, a very small part of her thought about how cute and fun he was, and that very small part of her wanted more of a relationship with him, very preferably without sharing.

* * *

(Fri, Sep 20)

The day had been a fairly normal Friday so far. Harry looked at Fleur at he was finishing lunch. "What is the topic for this afternoon? Runes or Potions?"

She smiled at him and winked. "We will be traveling to Paris on the first, so I think today we will spend the afternoon on your French lessons. One hour three times a week is not enough."

"Really, we'll be taking a trip?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes. I would like us to take a trip once a month," she told him. "It will be a way to put our lessons into practice, especially the language lessons."

He nodded, "That sounds like fun."

"I hope it will be. Now, go get my old school book and go to the hut. I will be there after I change." She made shooing motions with her hands as she stood to go.

Harry grinned at her, before running off to get the book she had used as little girl to learn to read and write.

Things had changed between them over the last couple of weeks after he had asked her to be his girlfriend. After their talk where she had been rather blunt about wanting him to be her boyfriend, he had asked her. They were far more playful around each other now.

As he walked down the path to the beach, he noticed that something was still eating plants in their vegetable garden. It wasn't much, but the damage to the plants couldn't be missed. Even Kreacher didn't know what was doing it. He shook his head and promised himself that he'd research harder for a solution soon, but for the moment he had other things to focus on.

He made himself comfortable in his favorite chair there and waited. It was their normal routine to do Defense or more active work in the morning, then more sedate activities - like Runes and Potions - in the afternoons. Sometimes he changed into his Speedo, sometimes he didn't - like today. She always changed into a bikini, usually a skimpy one, and lay in the sun for most of the afternoon enjoying the warmth while answering questions as needed. Avoiding sunburn with that much time in these conditions was only possible because of magic.

After a quick review of his last lesson, he turned to the next section. As he started to work out the words that were with the pictures, she walked up wearing her usual sleeveless long T-shirt and carrying an oversized towel and the magical suntan lotion they brewed every few weeks. She had started using the lotion almost exclusively since they had started dating.

She handed the lotion to him and smirked, causing him to wonder which suit she was wearing today. Grabbing the bottom of the white T-shirt, which contrasted very nicely with her tan, in one smooth motion she pulled the shirt off.

He felt his mouth falling open, but felt powerless to do anything about it. All he could see was that she was wearing almost nothing … just strings and a few small triangles - very small triangles of white cloth. With a satisfied look that he barely saw, she turned around and dropped her shirt on the table. Other than a couple of white strings, there was absolutely nothing on the back.

Continuing as if there was nothing different, she grabbed her towel, spread it on the sand in the sun just beyond the edge of the hut, and laid down. "Don't forget to put the lotion on me, Harry. If you let me burn _anywhere_, I shall be very upset."

While he blinked a few times after watching every move she'd made, she deftly reached behind her back and untied the string for her top.

Finally finding his wits, he realized that he couldn't ignore the hints from her any longer and he was going to have to find out what was going on.

"Fleur, I know that we're dating now and that allows us to go a little further than before, but isn't this taking it too far?"

"No," she answered casually. "Please start with the lotion. I really don't want to burn." She pulled her hair out of the way so it wasn't partially over her back.

Deciding that the top half was safe, he moved over and sat near her head and started on her neck and shoulders. "You've always done your bottom half before. Are you going to do that after I finish the top?"

"No, you can do it," she told him, still just as relaxed.

He thought that through as he worked down her back. By the time he reached where the lower string was, a good bit down her very lovely derriere, he knew he wasn't going to get an answer unless he was very direct in his questioning. She was stubborn like that at times. "Fleur, why are you doing this?"

"I've gone to public beaches in France like this before," she told him. "This is the first time here because I've only now felt that you were comfortable enough with me to handle this. It's really no big deal. When I'm at the beach in the Veela Colony, half of us wear just the bottoms and the other half doesn't wear anything at all. It's just our body, Harry."

That was an answer, he realized, although not the one he was looking for. As he thought of a whole beach of Veela wearing little to nothing started to work its way through his brain, he had to ruthlessly shove that aside lest his teenage male brain not be able to think of anything else.

"All right, but what I meant was why are you pushing _us_ like this?"

"Are you going to start on my lower half?" she asked him, letting out a small sigh.

"Are you going to answer my question?" he shot back.

"I will if you'll start on my lower half," she returned just as firmly.

Harry let his frown show only because he knew she couldn't see it. On the one hand, the idea of running his hands all over her was quite exciting, as part of him was demonstrating. But on the other hand, he didn't want to hurt their relationship by going too far too fast.

After a moment, she softly said, "It's all right, Harry. You can do this and I'm inviting you to do this. You can touch me anywhere. When I roll over later, you can do all of my front too."

Realizing she really did want this and she was going to avoid his questions otherwise, Harry slowly moved down to her feet and started putting on the lotion there, working his way up. "So why? And why now too."

"I will answer in a moment, but why do you think I am?"

"Fleur!" He paused in his exasperation.

"Please, Harry. I'm trying to help you to understand me. I want to know if you do understand me."

He resumed with the lotion after a moment. "Is this a Veela thing?"

"There is a Veela influence," she acknowledged, "but there's also more."

Harry had a horrible thought, yet he wanted to ask it. Then again, he would look like a real git, so he suppressed that question. "I've heard people say it's fun."

She chuckled into the towel. "Yes, I've heard that too."

Perhaps he could ask a variation of his question with immunity now. "You've never, uh, you know, before?"

"I've never what…" she drawled out the last word before moaning slightly as Harry touched high on her leg, brushing against the bit of cloth she was wearing.

"Sorry," he said hastily and pulled his hands off of her.

"Don't be, and keep going. You have my other jambe and my derriere to do too."

"Jambe?"

"My leg."

"Oh." Resigning himself to doing what he secretly wanted to do anyway, he started putting lotion on her other leg. "So you've never had, uh, sex before?" He thought he'd be very surprised if she said she hadn't. Maybe that was unfair of him, sort of putting her in the mythical role of sex object that most put Veela into, but he honestly knew so little of them. She acted like a normal witch to him, except for the fireballs she produced to light their campfires; and the dislike of going under water he remembered at the last second.

"That is a tricky question. No and yes."

"Huh? I thought everyone would know if they had or not."

"Well, I can say that I've never had sex with a wizard."

He was speechless for a moment. Only her low moan brought him back to full awareness and that he was finishing her second leg.

Putting more lotion on his hands, he decided to ask, "Then you've had sex with a Muggle man? Not that there's anything wrong with that."

"No, Harry, not a Muggle. Only with a Veela - a male Veela. But that is not like normal sex so I don't know if it counts or not." She paused before saying, "Touch all of me, Harry. Move the string if you need to."

Doing his best not to think about what he was doing, lest his brain turn off, he put lotion on the rest of her derriere in silence and then moved back to sit against the pole of the hut in the shade. "I don't think you answered my why."

"You can't think of any other reason?" She asked, sounding a little disappointed.

"Not really. I can't think of a reason why you'd want to have sex with me, even though it seems like you do." He started talking a little fast, rushing to get the whole explanation out. "Unless you're just desperate and I'm the only person available, which I wouldn't think so as you could have probably any guy you wanted."

She turned her head and looked at him. "I probably could have most unmarried guys, as you say; but I want you."

"Me? Why?"

"Because I like you, Harry. I like you deeply. Maybe I'll even love you one day. Why is that so surprising?" she asked.

Until she asked, he didn't consider what his expression was, but it felt like he was making a horrible face, so he forced it into a neutral expression. "Fleur, my life, well me, is so messed up. I told you about the prophecy too."

"I know. It doesn't matter, Harry."

He blinked for a moment. "Seriously?"

"Yes. If I ignore a few things about you that are not all that big of a problem, you are a very good man, Harry Potter. For those few things that are not right, I see you trying to do better. You're cute too," she said with a grin.

Harry felt his face heating and had to look away for a moment.

After a chuckle at his reaction, she said, "See, cute. You're also handsome, not like a male Veela, but still handsome. You have a good heart. You're also a good wizard and getting better. There's a lot to like about you, Harry."

"I," he trailed off, unsure for a moment. "I've never seen myself that way," he finally said.

"I think I understand from what you've told me about yourself," she said a little sadly. "Still, I really like you, Harry, and I'd like to take what we have even further. That's why."

He wasn't completely convinced, but she sounded very sincere that she cared about him. "You said there was a Veela influence."

She sighed. "I did." Her expression changed to a mischievous one. "Maybe I should turn over and let you put lotion there while I explain."

Harry snorted. "I think it'd be best if you didn't. I'm not sure I could talk intelligently if you did. I'm having a hard enough time as it is now."

Fleur smiled very warmly. "You're so sweet. I'll lay on my front for a little while longer then." She pushed on the towel to move the sand around making herself a little more comfortable.

"There are a few things that are not widely known about Veela and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone." She gazed at him, her eyes asking for a promise.

"I won't tell," he said solemnly.

With a slight nod, she said, "Veela are very emotional, or I should say that emotions are a large part of us. It is strong emotions that allow us to transform." She flicked some sand with her fingertips as she paused.

"One of those emotions is unavoidable twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. We call those times our 'mating period' or our 'mating cycle'. It is only during those times of the year that I can get pregnant, if I'm not on the proper potion for protection. Because of that, we are driven - magically - to have sex. The first few days are the hardest."

She looked him right in the eyes. "You understand that I must have sex during these times?"

"Yes," he said, gulping.

"I have two options, Harry. I can find a partner wherever I am, or I must return to the Veela Colony and find a male Veela. While being with a male Veela is very satisfying, it's not as good as finding your own partner. There are not many male Veela, so the entire Colony has to share the males. The sex is very good, but very short. With someone like you, the sex can be almost as good and can be a lot longer. I'd prefer the second option and to have you as a partner."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. It's your choice, Harry. If you would do me this favor, I'll do my best to make it good for you. If you do not want to do this, I won't be offended, but I have to know so I can schedule time at the Veela Colony. You'll also have to stay here for the two weeks I'm gone." She rested her chin on her fist and looked at him.

"Uh, wow," he said slowly as he tried to understand all of that. "I can work out that your fall time is coming, but why tell me today?"

She smiled and rose up on her elbows, her arms only barely covering her breasts. "Because the first few days of my mating cycles will be very intense. I don't think that would be a good time to have sex for the first time. I think it would be better for us to get used to each other first, to enjoy it."

His brow furrowed. "You make it sound like it won't be good."

"It can be very good, but those first few days of my mating cycle will be very intense and different. I'm not old enough to be in complete control yet, so you'll need to take a potion to help you…", she moved her head as she considered what to say, "to help you keep up with me. One change is that I become stronger when I transform. The potion helps you to be stronger too so I can't hurt you."

"Wow."

When he said nothing more for a moment, she smiled at him a little wickedly. "So, shall I roll over now and let you finish with the lotion, or shall we just go to your bedroom and have fun?"

"Or I could just think about it," he pointed out with his own grin as he looked at her barely covered chest.

"That wouldn't be any fun," she pouted playfully. "It is your choice though."

"I appreciate that - a lot." He took a deep breath as he decided, not that it was overly difficult. "Why don't you roll over and we can talk about how this will affect our relationship."

"While you put lotion on me?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, while I put lotion on you," he agreed.

Slowly and gracefully, Fleur rose to a sitting position, letting her breasts be fully exposed to him for the first time. "Do you like them?"

"I'd have to be gay not to and I'm definitely not gay!"

She laughed, which caused her chest to bounce in a pleasant way.

He was sure she'd done that on purpose. "You'll teach me what I need to know?" he asked with a hint of doubt in his voice. "I don't know what to do, other than I know how a boy and a girl fit together."

"We'll learn together, Harry," she told him gently as she turned to lie on her back. "Come over here."

As Harry moved over to her feet to work his way up, she asked, "Why are you concerned about our relationship? I don't believe this will affect us other than a few small things. Obviously, we will become closer."

"But, what if this doesn't work out? I don't want to lose your friendship," he told her seriously.

"It will only affect our friendship if we let it," she answered without concern.

He wasn't sure that was true, but he didn't argue the point. "You said there would be small changes," he said to her as he put lotion on her, trying to memorize everything about her.

"We'll have more fun flirting," she said mischievously. "I like to be touched and to touch back, assuming it's someone I feel comfortable with, and we will get comfortable with each other. The most important change is that I'll start sleeping in your bed. I think you'll like that."

Harry stopped just short of her bikini bottom and moved to her other leg, putting lotion on it just as slowly. "I don't know if I'd call those changes small, but I agree they sound like fun."

Fleur raised her head up a little so she could see him more clearly. "Are you trying to kill me, Harry?'

"No, why?" he asked, pausing in his work.

"Because you have come so very close to touching me where I want you to, but you refuse to go there," she told him a little crossly.

"I was just letting you get used to me touching you," he replied.

"You're making me crazy," she harrumphed. "I think it is time for the French lesson."

She stood and made him help her move the large towel over into the shade. Looking at him as if on a dare, she pulled at the strings at the side of her bikini bottom and pulled it away, leaving her totally nude. "We will learn body parts today, Harry."

Harry gulped, but he determined to be a good student.

* * *

(A/N: Thanks to AlekTas for beta'ing this chapter.

Also, before those who don't care for Ginny go flying off the handle, as the saying goes, please stop to consider why she has such a major role in the story from an author's point of view. The answer is based on 2 reasons.)


	7. Going Forward

(A/N: Well, it seems we lost a few people with that last chapter. As one reviewer put it, they can't read the "character tab" and/or they think I'm doing a "bait and switch". I'm starting to understand the fun behind Bobmin's "mocking notes" at the bottom of his chapters. :-) This is version 1.1.)

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Going Forward**

(Sat, Sep 21)

The next morning, Harry awoke as the sun was coming up - his usual time. What was unusual though was the naked girl that was half draped over him. He drank in her form, or at least her top half as the bottom half was covered by a white linen sheet.

He still couldn't quite understand why she was so attracted to him, but it seemed to be genuine from what he could tell. After learning the terms for various body parts, which somehow sounded more special in French, he and Fleur had put some of those body parts together. It had been, well, better than spectacular. Bloody awesome was a little closer.

They had explored each other's bodies and had sex on the beach all afternoon. They cleaned up and had a break for dinner. Afterwards they'd quickly moved to the couch for some serious snogging before eventually going to his bedroom for more sex and finally sleep. He had a feeling normal lessons were going to be ignored for the weekend.

Though not really wanting to, he started trying to extract himself from under her because exercises didn't do themselves. Just as he was almost free, Fleur woke and looked up at him sleepily.

"It's time for my morning run," he told her quietly.

She groaned but nodded. "I'll meet you at the end, like usual."

Harry put on a pair of socks and shorts, then grabbed his wand as he left. His shoes were by the door.

With a sun block charm on himself so he could start and finish sooner, Harry started his run around the island. He really couldn't help but think of Fleur and all that had happened between them since she'd come. He wondered if part of what made it so special was that he hadn't expected it. It was all certainly a lot better than the unexpected surprises during his time at Hogwarts.

Just thinking about the school made him frown. It took him a few minutes to realize that frowning was all he really did. He wasn't as angry with _the betrayers_ anymore. There was no doubt in his mind that he still didn't really want to see any of them any time soon, but he felt he'd lost his anger towards his old friends. It was supreme disappointment now. The name of Dumbledore made him run a little faster in anger, but as long as he avoided thoughts of the old man, he thought he could deal with most of his past. That was a pleasant realization.

Something else that was pleasant was the sight of a naked Fleur coming out of the ocean, ending her swim when she saw him. He understood her comments from yesterday a little better now. There was no doubt about more flirting and touching in their future.

* * *

(Sat, Sep 28)

Ginny hurried through the common room as she made her way to Quidditch practice. She was only a little surprised that Hermione rose from her seat and followed her out the portrait hole.

"Do you mind if I walk with you to practice? It's been hard to find time to talk to you," Hermione said as she fell into step beside the redhead.

"You know how busy it is being my OWL year, not to mention Quidditch on top of that," Ginny returned.

"That's true," Hermione agreed affably as they descended the main staircase. "Can I ask you something important?"

Ginny replied, "Sure." She had been expecting something like this; the only real surprise was how long it had taken Hermione to step forward. Her indecision and guilt must have been strong to wait this long.

"Are you in contact with Harry?"

Concentrating on the stairs so as not to trip or to give anything away, Ginny asked, "Does it really matter? I thought both Harry's letter and Fleur's speech made it quite clear he wasn't happy with any of us and he wasn't coming back here any time soon."

"Of course it matters," Hermione protested. "I miss my friend," she ended sadly. "So, have you?"

As they hit the bottom of the main staircase and walked toward the main front door, Ginny looked at her friend. "Why didn't you write him this summer?"

"What does that have to do with my question?" Hermione returned a little too quickly.

"Answer mine first," Ginny replied undaunted. She knew Hermione would answer because she wanted to know what Ginny was up to.

"Fine," older girl huffed after a long glare that did nothing to the redhead. "You know that the Headmaster asked us not to and your mother agreed."

"And you thought they were more important than Harry?" Ginny shook her head incredulously.

Hermione's gaze snapped back to the front, unable to look at her friend. "The Headmaster is our leader. I'm trying to obey him _and_ help Harry. So have you heard from him?"

Ginny restrained her snarky reply with great effort. Instead, she said, "I used to think of Harry as the one who could always stand up against trolls, basilisks, Dementors, dragons, Death Eaters, and Dark Lords. That he was the ultimate Gryffindor who could boldly do anything he felt he had to.

"Then I realized Harry did all of those things usually because he felt he needed to protect one of his friends or because he had to fight for his life the other times. Harry will do almost anything for someone he considers a friend. Like a Hufflepuff, he's the ultimate in loyalty. He's even quite hard working when he thinks he needs to be and my brother isn't slowing him down.

"In fact, I've decided that you can define Harry's bold Gryffindor traits in terms of his Hufflepuff personality, making me wonder why the Sorting Hat put Harry in Gryffindor - but that's another conversation entirely. Still, with that much Hufflepuff in Harry, it works the other way around too.

"Because Harry is ultimately loyal, he expects loyalty back. You'll have Harry's trust forever as long as you don't betray him. However, if you betray him, I think it would be next to impossible to regain that trust.

"Hermione, you've known Harry for five years and I would say you probably know him better than anyone here," at least as of the end of last year, Ginny added in her mind. "Would you agree with all of that?" Ginny asked as they walked out the front door, still just as calm and collected as when she'd started.

Hermione wasn't calm any more. In fact, she had a tear running down the cheek that was facing Ginny as the girl stared straight ahead. "Yes," was hoarsely whispered.

"Then let me ask you this. What would Harry require of you to show that you're really his friend? Don't you think he'd require you to do something special? We both know that Dumbledore can contact Harry with Fawkes, but if you asked Dumbledore to have Fawkes take a letter for you, do you think Harry would really read it or would he burn it just like he burned Dumbledore's letter?"

A short sob and another tear escaped the bushy-headed brunette. "He'd expect me to find my own way. Fleur basically said as much."

"Uh-huh. You know, I'm reasonably certain my brother has only tried once, although he could surprise me by having tried other times in secret," Ginny admitted. "How many times have you tried to contact Harry? How many different ways?"

Hermione stopped walking and buried her face in her hands. "None of my attempts go anywhere. All of them have failed. I've been a horrible friend to him," she sobbed.

Ginny mounted her broom but didn't take off for a moment. "Hermione, as your friend I'll give you the same advice you gave me a couple of years ago. Either grow up and do something about it or else get over him and go on with your life. I'm sorry to be so harsh, but being blunt does make the delivery easier and faster, not to mention preventing misunderstanding. I'll see you later."

Pushing off, Ginny flew up at a steep angle going over the back side of the Ravenclaw bleachers until she was in the Quidditch Pitch and joined the rest of the team. She wondered what Hermione would do. Would she decide the Headmaster or Harry was more important? There was no doubt in Ginny's mind that after Hermione finished having her pity-party that she'd read between the lines and understand that Ginny was in contact with Harry, since she hadn't denied it. However, she thought the girl would leave her alone about it, which would be what Harry had requested.

Ginny hoped a little tough-love would help her friend. Thinking back, she could now appreciate the message from Hermione a couple of years ago, although Ginny wished she'd picked the "do something about it" option rather than the "get over him" route that she had tried at first. Perhaps if she'd tried a little harder to be his friend sooner, she could have convinced him to be her boyfriend and then he never would have left. Then again, playing "what if" in her head didn't change a thing now.

* * *

(Tue, Oct 1)

"Are you ready?" Fleur asked him as they stood in front of the Floo at her parents' house.

Harry looked at himself in the mirror on the wall, not recognizing the man in his early 30's at all. The dark haired woman beside him, who also looked to be in her early 30's, was not someone he'd guess to be Fleur. Though she kept some of her prominent features, such as her full lips and cute nose, it was hard to make the connection, what with the added inches of height and the midnight black hair so different from her normal silvery blonde. "Are you sure this is needed?"

"No, but isn't it better to be safe?" she asked with a smirk that could only be interpreted to mean that she knew what his answer would be.

"Very well. Let's get this over with," he said in resignation. "At least we only have to do this for an hour or so."

"Yes, because we'll be in the Muggle parts of Paris otherwise," she agreed with him as she threw some Floo Powder into the fireplace. She called out the destination of the magical center in Paris again and they traveled.

Harry coughed once and banished the ashes from both of them at the other end. Raising his head high and imperiously, as he thought Draco Malfoy might, he led Fleur on his arm towards Gringotts, although she was giving him subtle nudges from time to time to change direction.

Both of them did their best to act normal, carrying on a quiet conversation in French, which meant just moving his mouth occasionally for Harry. His French wasn't that good yet. From time to time, Harry gestured and pointed at sights as a way for them to look around. Fleur even stopped them a few times to look in windows, yet more opportunities to look around without being obvious.

Harry thought all of this "spy stuff" was all for nothing until they walked into Gringotts and saw Bill Weasley leaning against the wall, his Gringotts badge easily visible.

"Bill is here", Fleur breathed in a whisper.

"Oui, qu'est-ce qu'il y a pour le dîner?" Harry asked in a slightly louder than normal voice. It didn't really matter what was for dinner, the point was for Harry to use one of his memorized phrases to make it sound like _he_ knew French, something British Harry Potter didn't.

"Nous avons du poulet à la maison," Fleur replied slowly and in an accent that seemed to strain her throat.

He saw Bill glanced their way for a moment as they walked by him, but Bill's scrutiny didn't linger.

"Meh," Harry said noncommittally with a shrug as they made their way over to a goblin at the counter. He pulled out a letter and handed it to the goblin, not saying a word.

The goblin opened it with annoyance, read it quickly, and then said, "Suivez-moi," as he stepped down from his stool and walked towards the back. They obeyed his command and followed.

Once they were in a private room, Fleur pulled out her bank badge and showed it. «I apologize for the deception,» she said in her normal accent and speed, «but I do not wish for my presence to be known to your British employee in the lobby.»

The goblin looked surprised but nodded. «Very well. You may use this room for the ten minutes you require.» He left them to resume his duties.

Fleur looked at Harry. "Stay here until I return. I don't believe it will take long. Be ready to leave quickly."

"Stay safe," he told her as he sat on an uncomfortable looking wooden chair.

Fleur stepped back into the corridor and hurried to the mail room. Fortunately, she'd been to this branch many times since she'd starting working for Gringotts. In the room, she searched the little boxes on the wall for her name, finding it fairly quickly. There were two letters and a small package inside.

As she started to grab them, she paused and considered possibilities. Because they were employees, she and Bill could use magic inside the building. Pulling her wand out, she cast detection spells on the box and on all three items. She smiled as one of the letters showed positive for an alarm charm.

With care not to touch the charmed letter, she pulled the other letter out and opened it. It was from her manager; it didn't say much other than he expected her next report by the first of the year. She dropped her letter to him in the outgoing bin.

The package was addressed "Liaison Fleur Delacour" in an official Gringotts wrapper. That was put aside for the moment.

Fleur also put a letter with Bill's name on it in her box. With care that took nearly a full minute and earned her a grunt from a goblin who had to reach around her to access his box, she moved the charm from his letter to her letter to him. Satisfied, she grabbed his letter and hurried back to Harry.

As she rushed in and closed the door, Harry looked up in alarm. "What's wrong?"

"I was right to be wary," she said as she pulled Bill's letter out and cast another detection charm on it and found it to be clean. "This letter had an alarm charm on it. Bill's way to know if I touched it."

"Won't he come rushing back here now?" Harry asked with concern as he glanced at the door, expecting it to open at any moment.

"No, I moved his charm to another letter," she replied as she finished skimming the letter and then put it away. "He wants to know if I'm doing well and if I'll be coming back to him." She smiled at her lover. "The answer is that I won't be going back to him, but he doesn't need to know that right now.

"I also received this." She started opening the small package, about the size of large journal book.

"What is it?"

"Something transferred to me as part of my job," she said absently. Reaching inside, she pulled out two letters and a ledger book. "It looks like some accounting," she paused and looked at him, "and letters to you." Fleur chuckled as she opened the first one. "That was very clever."

"What?"

She scanned the letter quickly. "We'll have to read these later. Fred and George Weasley realized they could send things to me through the bank and I'd eventually receive them." As he started frowning, she touched his face gently and made him look at her. "They are trying to be friends from the little I've read. You must at least read the letters before you decide anything."

Harry took a deep breath and slowly let it out, controlling his feelings better than before. "You're right, it would be fair to at least read them because of their effort."

"I'm glad you see it my way," she said with a smile and quick kiss before she put it all back into the travel envelope. "Come, we must leave as we entered, a French couple with some business."

They adopted their act and waited for a few moments in their room with the door open now. As a goblin went past in the direction of the lobby, they followed him, making it appear as if they were escorted.

A moment later they strolled out of the bank with Bill being none the wiser. A smiling Harry led Fleur back to their entry point and they left the magical area to enjoy the day in Paris.

— — —

That evening, they snuggled on the couch in their hotel room. Fleur sat between his legs and leaned back against him so she could hold the letters and they could both read at the same time. Harry wrapped his arms around her and caressed her stomach slowly so as not to tickle her. After the letters, Fleur flipped through the thin ledger book to understand what had been sent.

"What do you think?" she asked as she turned sideways to sit on his lap so she could see his face now.

"I appreciate their apology for not asking about me sooner than the day after I left. I suppose I can understand that they were really busy setting up their new shop and so left my care to their mother who usually fed me fairly well."

Fleur looked at him pointedly. "They also said their girlfriends asked about you before you left for the summer and you said you were fine. So when they were told that, it was not their fault they didn't check on you immediately. Even I have seen you say you're fine when you're not."

Harry hung his head for a moment. "I do remember the girls asking the next day after the disaster. You have a point that I can't blame them when I said I was fine."

"I'm glad you can admit that," she said and gave him a light kiss on his temple.

With a shy smile Harry continued. "I think their resigning from the Order as a protest over what was done to me was a nice gesture." Harry chuckled for a moment. "I really do like their offer to prank Dumbledore in a big way as an apology." He sighed. "Still…"

"Still it would have been nice if they had checked on you sooner," she finished for him.

"Yeah."

"What do you think about Alicia and Angelina? Would you accept them too?"

Harry sighed again and pulled her against him tightly for a moment for comfort before resting his head on her shoulder. "Probably," he answered finally as he also thought of one other person he really needed to contact if he was to be consistent with his beliefs.

"I thought the boys' gift of thirty percent of their business was a nice gesture. You did notice they did that in their accounting book from the very beginning and before your troubles?"

"Yes, I caught the date on that." He lifted his head back up and looked at her. "I think that's mostly what makes me willing to trust them and accept their apology. They were trying to do the right thing from the beginning and that time after the Ministry disaster would have been insanely busy for them as they started their new business. They'd also already left school and so they wouldn't have known much of what I was going through, yet they still tried to keep up with me through their girlfriends."

"I'm glad you're thinking this through and willing to be friends with them." She kissed him lightly again. "I too think they are trying to do the right thing for you. You can write them when we return to the island. However, I think it's time to go to bed. Come and see if I can make you happier," she said with a sexy look.

The night was very pleasant as they slept entwined in their hotel room.

* * *

(Mon, Oct 7)

Harry blinked rapidly, trying to figure out what had woken him. A padding noise drew his attention to the other side of the room; he turned just in time to see a naked Fleur go into the bathroom.

He dropped limply back down to the mattress, looking over the side. Everywhere he'd looked in the last few seconds showed devastation. Seeing three empty potion phials on the floor helped him to remember what had happened.

They had barely finished dinner last night when Fleur had gone rigid and sweat started to bead on her forehead. "Take the potion, Harry, quickly! It's time." When he didn't immediately move, she stood up so fast she overturned the table before she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the bedroom. There, she grabbed a phial of potion she'd carefully brewed a few weeks before and thrust it at him, popping the cork off with her thumb at the same time. "Please, Harry," she begged him. "I can't hold it for long."

Harry grabbed it and looked at her for a split second more before gulping down the light blue liquid that went down his throat like a stream of fire. He would have choked, but he hadn't been able to do anything for a few seconds, not even breath.

Meanwhile, Fleur just gazed at him in lust, one hand pulling at her clothes, disregarding their tearing.

Seconds later, he had felt agony as he transformed into a human sized bird, or something like a bird based on the feathers on his arms. Honestly, he hadn't looked in a mirror because he had lunged for Fleur who had transformed herself the moment he had changed.

Pulling out of that memory, he tried to remember what she'd told him about the potion. Transformation, obviously … strength and speed … stamina … lust … he'd had lots of lust. Now that he thought about it, he would have had sex with any female who'd been in the room, even someone as vile as Dolores Umbridge. He closed his eyes and shuddered at _that_ revolting mental image.

In the end, it had taken three potions to satisfy her … three hours of intense sex. He shuddered again, although this time in the understanding of what magic was able to do to him.

"What's wrong?" a gentle voice asked as a soft hand touched his hip and lightly caressed it.

He hadn't heard her return. "Just thinking about last night. You were so right _that_ should not have been our first time for sex. I had a few doubts about us starting to have sex a few weeks ago; I thought we might have been rushing things a little. Now … now I'm glad I agreed to your way. You're so right that you're like a witch, but not quite."

The hand went up his chest and pulled, bringing them together into a one-armed hug from her and leaving them spooning. "I'm glad you trusted me on all of this. I'm sorry this is so hard on you, Harry. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Think about what you'd like me to do and I'll try if I can. I do promise to take you to Rome for one of our trips. I think you'll like that."

"That sounds good," he told her, liking the thought of going to see the old city and wondering what magical things he might find there. "It's really OK, though. I think I was surprised more than anything. What about this morning? Can we go get breakfast?"

Fleur laughed and nuzzled his neck, trailing soft kisses down his back. "I think I'll be safe for at least a couple of hours. The worst should be over by tomorrow night then we'll be back to mostly normal sex."

"Mostly normal?" he asked, his voice rising and afraid of what she might say.

"Mostly normal because I should have most of the initial influx of hormones out of my system by then. That means that I can control my transformations again. Not quite normal because I'll still want more sex than usual. That should last a week or two. _Then_ I'll be normal again." She lightly bit his neck and then kissed it.

"I think we better hurry for breakfast," Harry told her as he pulled himself from her grasp, unsure if he was really going to get breakfast if she kept up her kissing and he was very hungry.

Fleur laughed at him but gracefully slid out of bed. She didn't bother with clothes; she just put on a gown, tying the sash before she left the room.

Harry threw on a T-shirt and jogging shorts, although he wondered how long he'd keep them on. He knew for a fact that his studies were going to be shot to hell for the next couple of weeks; of that he had no doubt.

Given that there would be no normal studies, he decided that it was a good time to start the research on protecting their vegetable garden. He hadn't finished that old book on household wards yet. That seemed like a good plan … assuming he had time to get out of bed.

* * *

(Sat, Oct 12)

The three girls walked into their side of the Quidditch changing rooms and Katie Bell slammed her hand on the door of a locker making a loud racket. Ginny looked at Demelza Robins, their other chaser, and nodded at the door. Demelza nodded back and quickly shucked her uniform robes off and threw them in the basket to be cleaned and hurried out in her casual weekend clothes.

"Damn that Cormac McLaggen!" Katie said fiercely. "He single-handedly lost the game for us against Ravenclaw. Not only did he fail to stop the Quaffle so we were down by eight goals, he also got in the way of our Seeker and let that Chang girl get the Snitch."

There wasn't much positive Ginny could say. Their new Seeker, Gary McDougal, was a second year and doing almost as well as she did as a Seeker. Still, Chang had the experience and McLaggen hadn't been paying attention and got in the way of McDougal, slowing him down enough that he hadn't had a real chance, handing the victory to the Ravenclaws.

"I know this is going to sound biased, but maybe you need to change the Keeper," Ginny suggested hesitantly.

Katie sighed and dropped onto the bench beside Ginny. "It's not biased; I was thinking the same thing." She dropped her face into her hands. "It's times like this that I really miss Harry. I know he'd know what to do and have good advice; he was good to talk to when you found him in a talkative mood."

"Yeah," Ginny agreed softly and with a reminiscent smile.

"He'd also make a better captain than I would." Katie stopped suddenly and looked at her. "Ginny, do you know why Harry isn't here? Professor McGonagall didn't give me any reason that made sense when I asked her. She just said he decided to go somewhere else and that was all she'd say."

With a chuckle, Ginny realized this was probably a good time to do as Harry had asked in his last letter. "You were one of three who actually went out of their way to ask how he was doing at the end of last year after his fight in the Ministry and Harry really appreciated that, even if he did tell you he was fine when he wasn't."

Katie's eyes went wide. "I knew it. I knew you were talking to him."

"Shush!" Ginny said hurriedly as she put her finger in front of her lips. "It's a secret and you can't tell anyone, no one at all."

"Right," the seventh year agreed quickly. "So, how is he? Where is he?"

"He seems to be doing better now. You can write him yourself; you just have to give the letter to me on the sly. Although, I'll tell you that you need to be careful what you say. Whatever you do, don't mention Dumbledore in any way, even by reference. Also, let Harry bring up why he left when he wants to; don't ask."

"OK. So what can I ask about?" Katie queried.

"Other than those couple of topics, just talk about what you normally would or ask what he's doing. We've been asking each other questions getting to know one another better," Ginny explained.

"You didn't say where he is. Is he at Beauxbatons?"

Ginny chuckled. "Don't you think you would have heard that if he was?"

Katie deflated and nodded at the obvious being pointed out.

"I really don't know where he is other than he's supposed to at a place that's very safe. I also don't know entirely how my letters get to him because I send them to someone else that forwards them. That means that we get at most two letters a month."

"So, about a week for a letter to get there and a week for his reply back," Katie said thoughtfully. "That must mean he's out of the country."

Ginny was reasonably certain he was, but she only shrugged. "I don't know for sure. It usually takes a few days after I get a letter before I send a reply back, and I'd think it'd be the same for him, so the full cycle can take three weeks sometimes."

"Neville writes him too, doesn't he?" Katie suddenly asked. "And Luna too."

After a few seconds Ginny laughed. "You're good. It's only the four of us, as well as my twin brothers and their girlfriends. They found a way to get a letter to him as well, and with a different method than I used."

"I would have guessed them too when you said three of us a minute ago." Katie looked at her carefully. "What about your brother and Hermione?"

"I don't know," Ginny said sadly. "Harry thinks they've betrayed him and they took it pretty hard when Harry made that known. I'm surprised that Hermione hasn't found a way to talk to Harry, but as far as I know she hasn't. That's Harry's new standard to prove you're his friend now; you have to contact him on your own and he's made it hard to do."

"What about me?" she asked in surprise.

"I guess you sneaked in because you reached out to him after our fight at the Ministry and before he left. To the best of my knowledge, you know about everyone who has contact with Harry and as you can see," Ginny shook her head sadly, "it's a small number."

"Thanks for telling me," Katie said as she hugged Ginny. "Well, let's go inside and get cleaned up. Then we can tell McGonagall about the change in Keepers and make Ron happy again. I'm sorry I let McLaggen on the team, but he did have a better try out that day."

"Ron said he understood, but you're right, he'll be happy to be back on the team," Ginny said with a lighter heart, glad that she had talked with Katie. If Harry would reach out to someone, then the redhead thought he was getting better, which made her feel better for him.

* * *

(Fri, Nov 1)

It was yet another Friday morning at Hogwarts. Ginny sat down in her usual place, next to Colin and across from Neville. The three had started having meals together a few weeks ago; the misfits of Gryffindor as she thought of the small group, sadly.

Neville didn't fit in very well with the rest of his dorm mates. Even Ron had stopped spending time with the Longbottom heir, instead spending time with Dean and Seamus. This puzzled her because she found Neville to be a nice guy.

Colin had never fit in well either. He was just too hyperactive, sort of like what Ginny thought Hermione would have been like if she ate lots of sugar. Maybe that was why her parents didn't let her eat any, not because they were concerned about her teeth.

Ginny mentally sighed as she thought about herself. She didn't have any close friends in her dorm because of her first year. She'd isolated herself and by the second year, all of the close friendships had already formed. Her dorm mates were never rude to her; they just normally "forgot" to invite her to do anything with them.

Luna joined them at times too, although not today; her misfit status in Ravenclaw was well known.

The three sat together and had their own little conversation. Sometimes, like this morning, Hermione would sit next to Neville and sort of be a part of their group, but usually the brunette would keep to herself and read either a book or her notes. For what seemed like the hundredth time, Ginny wondered why the girl hadn't been sorted into Ravenclaw.

As Ginny thought about going to History class after breakfast, she wondered what class she should be revising for while Binns droned on. Then she saw the morning mail owls start to arrive. She looked up and watched carefully for the Delacour owl as she was due for another letter from Harry and Fleur.

When no owl came to her, Ginny returned to her breakfast just as Hermione gasped. Looking up to see what was wrong, she saw Hermione visibly pale and start breathing very fast.

"Hermione?"

When the girl didn't answer Ginny's call, Neville reached over and pulled Hermione's hand, which held the morning's Daily Prophet, towards him just enough that he could read the newspaper. "Ministry Employees Attacked at Home," he breathed in surprise.

Ginny grew fearful.

"So many dead," Hermione whispered, although she was easily heard by those around her because the whole Great Hall had gone very quiet, only the occasional murmur heard.

Afraid to ask, yet dying to know, Ginny asked softly with a slight quiver in her voice, "Are my … my parents … listed?" When no one answered, Ginny immediately looked to the head table. Neither Dumbledore nor McGonagall were there.

"No, I don't see them listed," Neville finally answered quietly after a long moment to scan the article.

That helped, but didn't completely calm all of Ginny's fears.

"They killed a third of the department heads," Hermione said hoarsely and in disbelief, barely heard while looking at Ginny.

All of her fears slammed full force back through her heart. Ginny gripped the table and held on for a moment, afraid she might fall if she let go she felt so weak. It took a long moment before she realized an arm was around her and holding her up. She gave Colin a weak smile as she realized he was trying to help her. There was little else she could do as she struggled to hold her fears and emotions in, lest she burst into tears as she struggled with all of the worries for her parents.

"Ginny … look," Colin whispered and pointed towards the door. He had been facing it while looking at her.

One glance lifted her heart and she shot out of her seat with new-found strength and ran across the room, not caring a whit what anyone might think of her. She threw her arms around her mother as she slammed into her and started sobbing heavy tears of joy. Her father's hand on her head caused her to cry harder; their presence releasing the cold hand of fear upon her heart. They were dirty and their clothes were torn in a few places, but they were both safe.

Finally she let go and looked around. Ron was there too, hugging their father. An older Ravenclaw girl was nearby hugging her mother, although both seemed to be sobbing so hard on each other's shoulder they were barely standing.

Her father pulled their family outside into the overly cool morning air, the briskness refreshing after the heavy emotions.

Her mother pulled them both down to sit on the cold stone steps with her, one on either side of her with her arms around their shoulders and pulling the three of them together tightly. Her father stood slightly in front of and below them, looking very tired and sad - the bearer of bad news based on his expression.

"Based on your reaction I'll assume you've heard the news," he said gravely and received two nods. "Your mother and I were lucky and were out for the evening. We Apparated home late and arrived to find an inferno, surprising the three Death Eaters who were there as they thought we were already dead since we hadn't come out sooner. We managed to fight our way to safety, only being hit by a few cutting charms that we've mostly healed."

He pulled at his clothes a little and Ginny saw they were cut and not torn as she'd originally thought. She could also see dried blood on the edges.

He cleared this throat and looked hard at them. "I'm sorry, but the house is completely gone - everything. All that's left is ashes and a few charred sticks. Maybe we'll find a few of the metal things, like your mother's pans, but I don't hold out hope for much else." His wife sniffled once and breathed deeply, obviously struggling to hold her emotions in.

Ginny looked at her mother and saw the struggle the woman was having. The house had always been a special place for the mother of seven; there were a lot of happy memories there. She gave her mother a hug while Ron sat there blankly in disbelief.

"I suppose staying with Aunt Muriel is the obvious choice, but I'm honestly not sure where we'll go at this moment. You two can stay here until the end of the school year. We'll probably join you here for Christmas, or at least I think the Headmaster will allow that." He paused for a moment and looked over them. "Speaking of whom, it appears that I'm needed and I'll return in a moment."

"You two are excused from classes for the day," the deep voice of the Headmaster said. "Arthur, if I may steal a few minutes from you before you have to head in to keep what's left of the Ministry together? I have an idea that you might find helpful."

Ginny scrambled up and gave her father a quick hug before he left. She knew that the proper thing to say was that at least none of their family had died, and she was very grateful for that, but this whole war still sucked.

— — —

Fleur shielded herself from the low-level cutting curse and stepped to the side to avoid a stunning spell to give herself time to send an offensive spell at Harry. He had become faster at casting over the last few months as well as learning to use his power with the new control he didn't have at the beginning. Lately, she was lucky if she won two in five of the duels they had on most mornings and usually it was one in five. She supposed it showed her to be a good teacher, but she couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed in her own skills.

Her bludgeoning spell missed him and she had to raise a shield as his blasting curse hit the sand and would have sprayed her. He liked doing that and hiding his actions in the sand screen.

Suddenly, the sand started to swirl, confusing Fleur. Before she realized what was happening and could stop it, she found herself being scoured and the stinging was starting to become painful as most of her was bare. As fast as the whirlwind had come, it suddenly disappeared. She tried to cast a spell at Harry only to find she didn't have a wand anymore, having lost it in the sand storm and never noticing. When the sand finished falling, she noticed a grinning Harry who was holding her wand.

"Fine, you win that one too," she conceded a little crossly as she made sure her bikini top was still in place after all of her movement. For a brief moment, she considered taking her top off to see if that would distract him enough for her to win the last one.

"That's four," he said with a smile as he floated her wand back to her. "Maybe today is the day I'll win them all for the first time."

"Only if you're lucky," she called back, all the while knowing he had a good chance of winning the fifth one too. He was becoming very good due to practicing almost every day for three months. "I think no sand this time." She transfigured the top layer of sand around both of them into a thick cloth, hoping to remove that advantage from him.

"It won't help," he taunted her good-naturedly.

"Maybe this will help!" She fired a stunning spell at him to start the last mock battle of the morning. The next few minutes were chaotic as she tried her best to be unpredictable. She thought she had him when one of his spells missed her. It wasn't until she realized the color was almost clear that she realized the danger. She started to spin and drop to one knee while also casting a shield, but she hadn't reacted soon enough. Just as she turned her back to him, several fronds from a palm tree that had been summoned from behind her wrapped themselves around her as tightly as any rope.

She considered transforming to break them just as her world went black.

— — —

Fleur woke sitting in a comfortable chair in the shade and feeling very calm, despite her last memory being one where she was fighting hard. It only took a few seconds to realize the calm was artificial, induced by a singing bird. Looking over, she saw Fawkes the phoenix trilling happily while Harry gave the bird a questioning and less then pleased look while petting him.

"Merde, you finally won all five."

Harry turned to her and his expression turned happy and smug. "Yes - I - did."

"What's happened to bring Fawkes here?" she asked, purposefully changing the subject as she sat fully upright in the lounge chair under their hut on the beach.

"He's brought you a letter. He won't let me take it, so I suppose he was given strict instructions," Harry told her, his frown returning.

Fleur carefully stood and walked over to the table, her full control returning quickly. "May I?" Fawkes let her take the letter before singing to Harry. He chuckled and petted the bird some more while she read first a letter and then a newspaper article. She was only a little surprised this had finally happened.

"What is it?"

"I think you should read these." She handed the newspaper article over and watched him read it, his expression never changing.

"It finally started in earnest." He looked at the article in his hand again. "I wonder how many people will see the hypocrisy in Voldemort's actions."

"Which ones?"

Harry sighed. "He says he's for the Purebloods ruling, yet he just killed a bunch of Purebloods. In fact, with the deaths of both of Cedric's parents, he's just wiped out an entire Pureblood family. I doubt they were the only family to end either. I'm truly sorry people died, but maybe they'll wake up and start to do something about the problem - although I don't expect to see much action based on history. What's in the letter?"

Fleur handed it over and watched him. His bland expression turned into a full frown, but at least he didn't start ranting about Dumbledore. She thought that was a big improvement. Handing the letter back to her, he turned around and leaned against a support tree, staring out at the water. "Harry?" she called out.

When he didn't immediately answer, she walked over to him and put her arms around him from behind, rubbing her hands slowly over his chest in an attempt to calm him.

He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "My answer is no. Personally, I'd send Fawkes back without a note, but answer however you wish as long as it's 'no'."

She thought that was a bit cold-hearted, but since he wasn't ranting, she assumed he must have a reason to deny the Weasleys and others use of the Black house until they could rebuild. "I won't put anything you say in the letter if you don't want me to, but will you tell me why?"

"Both of them wrote as if we were all friends, assuming my answer would be yes, but they should know better. Also, I can tell this was Dumbledore's idea; he convinced Arthur to write a small request at the bottom only so I would feel guilty and wouldn't immediately dismiss the idea."

"How can you be sure of that?"

"Because Dumbledore wrote most of it with only a small note by Arthur at the bottom. If it was Arthur's idea, then his would have been the only request written." He shook his head. "They treat me with familiarity and assume I'll roll over and say yes like before when I had no choice. If I was anyone else, I bet they would offer compensation of some kind, but they don't to me. I don't need any compensation, but they should have offered. The last reason is because I'd have to go there and unseal the house and I don't want to do that yet.

"I don't know, Fleur; maybe I'm so biased against him because all I can see is a devil trying to take advantage of me again. All I've ever been to him is a tool in a war and now they have another need because of the war and they want their tool to fix something - again. I just can't say yes because I'm sure there's a hidden cost to me they're not telling me about."

Fleur stretched a little and kissed the back of his neck. "I think you're being paranoid. I also think that you've been hurt and so you automatically view the one who hurt you with suspicion. That's not unusual."

"That doesn't make my paranoia untrue," he returned a little firmly.

She kissed his neck again. "No, it does not."

Fleur called for Kreacher and had him bring writing materials while Harry continued to stare at the water, appearing lost in thought.

"Professor Dumbledore," she said out loud as she wrote. "We're doing well, thank you for asking."

Harry snorted because Dumbledore had not asked about them at all. She smiled, pleased she had lightened the mood.

"I'm very impressed with Harry's training and I think you would be too. I'm afraid that I must tell you no in regards to your use of the Black house in London. Harry has several valid reasons that would make that impractical. We're both sad about the deaths and injuries. We hope that will cause resistance to increase after this attack and more people will start fighting back. Best regards, Fleur Delacour (& Harry Potter)."

While Fleur folded the letter and gave it to Fawkes, Harry said, "I'm glad I was here for Halloween. Something bad always seems to happen then and I think this is the first time in over five years that I've escaped that."

"Then I'm happy for you," she said before a grin came over her. "I could make it happier for you if you take your clothes off," she flirted with him.

He chuckled and turned to her. "How about we save that for tonight and instead leave now on our Rome trip instead of this evening as originally planned?"

"Why the rush?" she asked intrigued.

"We could go shopping this afternoon."

Fleur's expression lit up. "Let's go pack now!" She hurriedly told Fawkes good-bye and walked quickly to the house.

Harry laughed before he petted Fawkes one last time. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait until next time for us to fly together. You can come back next week though."

Fawkes trilled happily before launching himself into the air with the letter and disappearing in a ball of fire.

— — —

Ginny trudged up to her dorm room, more tired emotionally than physically. She'd just said good-bye to her parents, who were on their way to Aunt Muriel's place. She thought the news that Dumbledore and her father had sent a letter to Harry and received a firm "no" for borrowing the Black house was somewhat amusing. She had given no indication of surprise at the news, especially as she could have predicted that rejection. It did make her wonder if Harry didn't think of her as much as she had thought. Then again, he would know she didn't need a place to live until this summer, so she knew that was a stupid thought and dismissed it quickly.

As she walked into her room, her dorm mate Trudy looked at her excitedly. "Christmas has come early for you this year." At Ginny's confused look, the girl pointed to the redhead's bed. "Look!"

Walking over to her bed, Ginny pulled the partially closed curtain open and saw what looked like a Christmas present there, at least its wrapping paper made it look so. "How did that get here?"

"Probably like all other Christmas presents," Trudy said with a giggle. "Open it and let's see what you got."

There was no card on the outside, only her name written directly on the colorful paper. Ripping that off, they found a small note on top of what looked like a miniature trunk. Opening the folded note, she recognized the tight handwriting as she read:

_After hearing the news of you losing everything at your house, I thought you deserved an early Christmas present. Put your wand on the trunk and push a little magic while you say "Grow". The instruction book is inside._

"I think it's a resizable two compartment trunk," Trudy told her, still filled with excitement. "What did the note say?" When Ginny didn't immediately answer, Trudy grabbed the note and then frowned. "It's blank."

Ginny saw the note that was held out wasn't blank and understood. "I guess it must have erased itself after I read it," she prevaricated.

"I've never heard of that. It must be really advanced magic. So who's it from?" Trudy's eyes suddenly went wide. "That looks expensive. It's from a boyfriend, isn't it? Someone who's already left school and has a job?" As Ginny struggled not to give anything away, that pause encouraged her dorm mate. "It is! You're dating an older boy! Did he graduate last year? Who is it?"

Ginny smiled to herself. "I'm not sure he'd want me to say, but yes, he finished school last year and we've been writing." She was sure this news would be all over the school by this time tomorrow, but she also thought no one would think of Harry with the assumptions Trudy was making. She just hoped it wouldn't come back and bite her in the end.

"How romantic. Go on, open it up and let's see what he got you," Trudy egged her on.

After setting the trunk on the floor, she expanded it and opened the left latch. Lifting the top caused an entire chest of drawers to come up, causing Trudy to "ooh" as her eyes went wide. Looking in each drawer, Ginny found stylish clothes and dresses, mostly for winter. One drawer even held the laciest knickers and bras she'd ever seen, most of them quite skimpy, causing both of the girls to blush and giggle. It all produced a number of questions for the redhead.

Trudy had one of her own as she looked at the tag on a very nice jumper. "Hey, this one was made in Italy too. Do you suppose all of this came from Italy? Wow, he must really make a lot of money on his job to go there and buy all of this."

Ginny just smiled, not sure what to say as she closed that side and opened the right latch to reveal a set of pop-up shelves, on both sides and the back making them "U" shaped; they were almost empty. On one of the longer shelves lay a broom and a letter along with the instructions for the trunk. With both compartments, it was like a portable closet.

Pulling the broom out, she saw "Brise" written on the side. The shaft was smooth and the twigs were symmetrically placed such that for every one that had a bend in it, the twig on the other side of the broom had the same bend.

"Even if I don't fly much, that's beautiful," Trudy said reverently as she looked at it. "I don't know what that says, but it looks a lot like a funny way to spell breeze, at least if you gave the 'i' an 'e' sound like some words do."

"I don't know if you're right or not," Ginny said as she put the obviously foreign broom back and grabbed the letter before closing the trunk. Moving it over to be next to her current trunk at the end of her bed, Ginny crawled into her sleeping area.

"Are you going to wear some of that tomorrow?"

"Maybe," Ginny answered as she opened the letter.

"Tell me about your boyfriend," Trudy said as she sat on her bed and looked at Ginny.

The redhead just looked at her friend and smiled. "Sorry, it's between only us. Besides, I don't know how long it'll last anyway."

Trudy looked a little disappointed at not hearing the gossip, but she nodded and started getting ready for bed.

When their other dorm mates came up, Trudy told them all about the gifts Ginny had received. Again, Ginny had to tell everyone that her "boyfriend" and her were still working things out and wanted the privacy to do that.

By the time the lights went out, Ginny had followed the instructions to key the trunk to her so only she could open it. She also put all of her letters from Harry into the new trunk to keep them safer.

He had been very apologetic in the letter for what had happened to her and that he couldn't be there for her. It was really very sweet and made her feel guilty for her earlier thoughts about him not caring as much as she'd hoped. She really appreciated his thoughtfulness because he had been correct that she didn't have all of her winter clothes here, most had been at The Burrow and she would have picked them up during the Christmas break. He had also made sure she knew that he had only picked out her coat, hat, boots, and broom; Fleur had picked the rest, including the somewhat racy underwear, and had somehow known what size Ginny was.

The next morning, Ginny pulled on some new jeans, ones with stylish patterns sewn onto the back pockets and that fit her perfectly. For a top, she wore a light blue jumper that hung loosely on her and was made of the softest material she'd ever felt. There was also a pair of tall brown leather boots with fur on the inside to complete the stylish outfit. She'd always thought she had a boyish figure, but looking in the mirror now changed her mind. Of course, she was fifteen now.

As she walked into the common room, Ron saw her and his jaw dropped. When he found his power of speech, he finally said, "Where in the bloody hell did you get those?"

"Her boyfriend gave them to her, along with a bunch of other clothes," Trudy said from behind her.

"Thanks, Miss Tattle-Tale," Ginny said sarcastically.

"Don't worry, Ron," Trudy continued as the rest of the fifth year girls slowly made their way towards the portrait hole for breakfast, "whoever he is, he graduated last year so he's not here and he's really rich. You should see her new broom too."

As the girls walked out, Ron stared hard at her. "Well?"

"None of your damn business, Ron," she said with a touch of heat. Ginny turned to go, but not before seeing Hermione looking at her in confusion as if trying to figure a puzzle out. However, the brunette didn't say a word.

* * *

(Fri, Nov 8)

Harry measured out an area on the widest part of the beach for his experiment. In reality, the beach wasn't as wide as he needed it, so he made the area longer.

"You've already made it work once," Fleur said, raising her voice from the shade. "I still don't like it, so why do it again?"

He stopped for a moment and looked at her with a grin. "For the same reason I had you help me with the Arithmancy of the ward … I have an idea." He returned to using his magic to push down a long thick stick, really more of a small log, with runes all over it into the sand until it was almost buried.

As he went towards the next one, he thought back to the first time he'd done this. It was about a month ago when Fleur was going through her cycle and he'd worked through the household wards book for something different to do. In it, he'd found a ward - or maybe a ritual - to remove pests from a garden. He'd performed it and later discovered a dead Doxy, which is what he'd assumed had been nibbling on their plants. After some nearly insane - or perhaps very imaginative - thinking, he'd had an idea. He was a little surprised that no one else had ever thought of using this kind of ward/ritual in this way before, but he supposed he'd just been lucky to have the insight to use this in such a twisted way. So here he was today to test the ward in a modified and very controlled way.

"Kreacher!"

The elf popped in. "Are you ready, Master?"

"Close enough, bring them here and place them around the area; spread them out." He returned to the last rune marker, which he placed right in the middle. In the original scouring of the garden, the area was small enough he could stand outside and activate it.

In the present configuration, he had to start it from the inside. That carried a level of danger as he could be affected. While he didn't think he would and the Arithmatic equations said it shouldn't affect him, there was always the possibility all that was wrong and he'd be "zapped", leaving him in a state neither he nor Fleur wanted.

When he finished his preparation, he looked around at all the little cages Kreacher had bought over the last couple of days. He'd had the elf go buy small magical creatures from the nearest market to a few markets in southern Spain and France. They had all kinds - Flobberworms to Doxies to a few things Harry had never seen before. The only requirement he had was that the creature be non-sentient, or at least generally thought to be. For good measure, Kreacher had also bought some non-magical creatures, from bugs to mice and to birds; there was even a fish in a bowl.

Fleur walked up and put a belt on him with a small barely glowing crystal on it. "I still don't like this experiment, even if I do think you should be safe. If the crystal loses its glow, then I've failed you; but at least I'll be able to monitor what happens," she said tightly, holding her emotion back.

"Someone has to do it and this is also a way for me to learn," he argued back gently and good-naturedly, unlike their first discussion about this business, which had caused her to sleep with her back to him that night and him not allowed to touch her.

"Kreacher, go back to the house. Fleur, if you'd mount your broom and fly down the beach and use the Omnioculars to watch and record." He started charging up the four outside rune markers. As he went to the center one, he checked and then rechecked that Fleur was far enough away.

Taking a deep breath, Harry cast the charging spell on the center marker. It was now primed and ready. With a last look at Fleur, he cast the activation spell on the marker.

For about half a second, nothing happened; then the world seemed to explode and he was tossed violently to his left, hitting the water about twenty feet from the shore and skipping once painfully since he was laying flat on his stomach before hitting a wave and going under.

Sputtering, he broke the surface of the water and started gasping for breath just before a hand grabbed his and pulled him to the shore.

As he was dropped at the edge of the water, he saw Fleur fling her broom away and fall to her knees so her face was hovering over him. "Harry!" she called, very distraught.

"I'm fine," he ground out breathlessly. "I just got the air knocked out of me." It was then that he realized he did have a problem. "Can you summon my wand? I lost it somewhere."

She nodded and quickly cast a summoning spell, catching it as it came from floating on the water. When she handed it to him, she looked at the monitoring belt she'd given him. "Merde! It's glowing much more than before."

"That makes sense and agrees with the equations. Help me up," he asked. When he was standing again, he mentioned, "See, I was fine and the belt proved that," he told her softly and caringly before giving her a gentle kiss so she'd know he wasn't upset with her lack of belief. "We're going to need to figure out why I went flying that direction instead of the way I was facing."

Together, they walked around and looked at the cages, setting free those creatures that survived. "It was as expected," he finally said and then grinned at her. "It works! Now we just need some help."

After Harry finished cleaning up, they had dinner. He noticed that Fleur was very quiet during it. "What's wrong? We've created a new version of the ward and proved it can be extended to cover larger areas. You told me yourself this could be a mastery thesis. This can be used to end the war in Britain. So why aren't you happy?"

She looked at him for a moment before answering. "Let's go to the beach and talk by a fire. We haven't done that for awhile."

"All right," he said slowly, mystified by her behavior.

Fleur silently built the fire and sat down near him, but facing him instead of sitting beside him and facing the fire together like normal. "Harry, I'm really concerned about your plan. I don't think you've thought through all the details."

"Of course I haven't," he readily agreed, "but the basic plan should work. It should kill Voldemort and do a lot of damage to the Death Eaters if not kill them too, or at least I think so from what I learned about the Dark Mark in my fourth year and my guesses based on that."

She picked up a hand full of sand and slowly opened her fist, letting the sand drain and fall randomly as it was driven by the light breeze. "Harry, this is what you're up against. You can pick up the sand and let it go. You can know that it'll fall, but you can't know where it will fall. You don't know what else can happen and it might be very bad."

He sighed. "Look, I understand what you're trying to say and I agree … somewhat. I guess one of the things I haven't said is that I'd like to get your father's help. You said that he worked in International Relations, right?"

"Yes, but what are you expecting of him?" she asked a little defensively.

"If he works with international stuff, then he works with the ICW, right? That's what I want; I want the ICW to help. Voldemort is going to cross borders sooner or later. The sooner we take him out the better," he argued. "There are a number of details about this and making it happen that we'll need help with. The ICW has the man-power. We got to break the cycle of blood-based bigotry leading to evil wizards trying to take over the world."

Fleur picked up another handful of sand and slowly let it fall. "That's fine, Harry, but what about all the innocents?"

"There's not that many and I can at least get my friends out beforehand," he told her with a hint of displeasure. "This is a war and sometimes innocents get hurt, I should know. The adults there have had a long time to take care of this and they haven't, so I don't think they have any room to complain. Then there's all of those who just hated me for no real reason at least half the time; they aren't so innocent either."

"Don't play stupid," she told him, angry now. "There are hundreds of innocents. Fine, let's say all the adults have wronged you. They haven't, but let's say they have. Fine, all your former friends have wronged you, even if they didn't mean to. What about all the first years who've never met you? What about all magical children who've never had a chance to go to Hogwarts and after you've done this probably never will? What about all the visitors from another country who would be there unknowingly at the wrong time, people like me? Would you condemn me too if I didn't know you?"

Harry stared at her for a moment before slinging sand at the fire as he jumped up. "You don't understand how bad it really is, do you?" he told her before he stomped away towards the house in long strides.

Fleur pulled her knees up and placed her face there and cried quietly. She wanted him to understand but she had messed up in her anger. In a way, they were both right. Harry's plan needed to happen and yet it couldn't. If he did it, he'd probably succeed in bringing down Voldemort and probably even the Ministry of Magic, two things that really did need to happen. And yet, if he did it, he'd hurt a lot of people.

The fire was only glowing embers by the time she worked up the courage to go in and face him. To give herself a few more minutes, she put out the fire by burying it in sand with her hands instead of using magic.

Slowly she trudged back to the house, determined to put things right between them. If she had to, she'd agree and then get her father to intervene. Surely he would know how to handle this.

Harry looked up at her as she walked in and quickly dropped his gaze again.

Her only consolation was that he looked as sad as she felt. "I'm sorry, Harry. I let my anger get the best of me. I don't want the innocents to get hurt, but your point that this would end the war is also correct. I don't know what to do to make both sides acceptable at the same time."

He nodded slowly although he didn't look up. "I know that there are innocents; the babies and small children are the most obvious." Looking up at her, he said, "I'm sorry I got angry too. I've seen what Voldemort's like first hand and he needs to be put down. It's the right thing to do before he tries to go further to other countries, but more importantly to me, I'm tired of him interfering in my life. If I'm honest, I suppose I want a little revenge for my parents too." He looked at her for a moment. "I'm also sorry for snapping at you when you were trying to help. I've been pushed around by everyone back there so much that anything like that sets me off if I think about it enough."

She walked over and looked at him with pleading eyes. He smiled weakly and held out his arms, allowing her to drop down to the couch so they could embrace. He held her tightly and didn't let go.

"We'll find a way," she murmured into his hair. "Maybe my father can find an answer."

"I don't think it'll be all that hard to save most of them," he said slowly. "The hard part will be finding people to help that will keep the secret until it's all done."

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I think we really can save most of them," he told her with a caring smile as he brushed the hair back from her face. "There are magical oaths and we'll probably have to have people swear one to work on this; the ward is just too destructive. How about we work on the equations together and write up a paper about what we've found, both the ward and the results of my tests. We can also add in a suggested plan for how to do it all - including saving the innocents - and problems that need to be solved. At Christmas, we can try to convince your father and let him take it to the ICW.

"If they don't accept the plan, then I don't know. Maybe we come back here, or maybe we go live near your parents. If you want, we can move to Australia or America. We'll go far away and let the others deal with the war."

"What about the prophecy?" she asked as she put a hand to his head to caress it.

He shrugged. "I'm still not sure I believe it, but if it's meant to be it'll happen some way. It's also possible they'll want to do my plan later if things get worse."

"But the loss of life in the meantime…" she said with anguish.

"Is not our fault," he told her with certainty. "It's taken a long time for me to figure that out. I'm willing to tip the balance if most of the adults of Britain will stand up and fight back, but I won't fight the whole war on my own or with only you by my side. If they won't help themselves, they don't need us there," he said firmly.

Fleur hugged him tightly. "I feel selfish, but I'm glad. I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either," he returned caringly and kissed the top of her head gently.

"Come snuggle with me," she asked, almost begged even.

Harry pulled back and stood, then pulled her up and led her to the bedroom. All Harry could do was hold her tightly, lovingly, and hope for the best as he started trying to end the war for real. It was also something that meant he'd have to return to Britain sooner rather than later, but he ignored that detail for now.

* * *

(A/N: This chapter was beta'd by AlekTas. Thanks Alexander. Any remaining errors are caused by my last minute editing.)


	8. Changing Plans

(A/N: Here starts the 3rd and final major section of the story.)

(A/N2: AlekTas, my beta, has convinced me to change the story somewhat. The biggest impact is that I'm giving a little more info sooner than I did originally. That rework is the cause of me falling off my normal update cycle, but I like to hope the story is better for it. :) It also caused me to change chapter 7. If you want to go back and re-read it, you'll want to concentrate on the last section.)

* * *

**Chapter 8 - Changing Plans**

(Fri, Dec 20)

Harry and Fleur landed near the front porch of the Delacours holding each other up. Hand in hand they walked up to the front door.

"Are you still going to ask your mother about us sleeping together?" he asked a little nervously.

She smiled at him and almost chuckled. "Yes. Don't be afraid of my father, Harry. He understands about Veela. He did marry one."

"Sorry, but until both of them tell me it's all right, I think I'll take a separate room. I'd rather not make any trouble," he told her.

"We'll be here for three weeks, Harry. I don't think we can hold out for that long … or I can't now that we've started," she told him with a chuckle as she opened the front door and walked in. An elf took their bags and they went to find her parents.

"Fleur!" Her mother put her book down and rose from what looked to be a very comfortable armchair in one graceful smooth motion before hurrying over to hug her daughter. "Harry, it's good to see you." She hugged him also. "You two look very well. Are you?"

"Yes, mother, although you could help us do better." The girl looked at her mother for a moment with a raised eyebrow as Harry bashfully looked around the room.

After a moment, Apolline laughed and said, "Yes, you may have him in your room. Your father won't have too much trouble with it since he knows Harry helped you through your last cycle." At Harry's embarrassed look, she chuckled and rubbed his shoulder soothingly. "Don't worry, Harry. We all understand about Veela here and we're very open about it. Jean-Aimé may have the usual concerns of a father about his daughter, but he also understands that the daughter has special needs now and can throw fireballs at him too.

"I'm sure he'll want to talk to you about her, but don't worry about it," she said, trying to reassure him.

"That's like telling the ocean to stop making waves," he replied, sounding disbelieving.

"The best thing you can do is be confident in your love of our daughter," Apolline whispered conspiratorially. "He'll respect that."

"Thank you, Mrs Delacour," Harry told her seriously, feeling a little better about it.

"It's Apolline, Harry, and I think my husband will want you to call him Jean-Aimé as well. Now, go freshen up," Apolline told them. "Jean-Aimé and Gabrielle will both be here soon."

Upstairs, Harry looked around Fleur's room. It was obviously a girl's room based on the colors, but not overly so. There was no lace to be found either.

After they each used the bathroom to freshen up, Fleur pulled him to her and kissed him gently. "It will be fine, Harry. Be the wonderful and confident person I know and it will all work out."

Before he could reply, a squeal of "Fleur!" assaulted their ears just before a little blond missile made impact with both of them. Gabrielle jabbered quickly in French for a moment with Harry understanding most of the greeting, assuming his guesses on some words were correct. He had been working hard on learning French between his other studies.

The little girl barely finished her initial conversation with her sister before she threw herself at Harry, kissing each of his cheeks. "You are handsome always," she said boldly, embarrassing Harry.

Fleur laughed but pulled her sister off of her boyfriend. "Don't smother him," she told her sister with a smile. "He'll be here for the next three weeks."

"Did you help Fleur with her cycle?" she asked him very forwardly, causing him to go red.

"Yes," Fleur answered when Harry wouldn't, "but leave that alone. Don't embarrass him any more," she commanded her little sister who pouted at the order. "Come, let's go see if it's time for dinner." Fleur grabbed each of their hands and walked in the middle to make sure both started moving.

Downstairs, they found Jean-Aimé had arrived as well. Each greeted him, although Harry shook his hand while both girls hugged him. Soon they had dinner, which Harry found very enjoyable.

After dinner, the family gathered in the family room and continued talking and catching up on what each was doing. By the third glass of wine, Harry had to hold it more than sip it as he was becoming light-headed.

As the evening wound down, Jean-Aimé kissed Gabrielle on the top of the head and sent her to bed. He did the same for Fleur before looking at Harry. "Mr Potter, if you'd join me in my study for a few minutes before you retire for the evening?"

This was it Harry knew. His light-headedness suddenly increased with his nervousness.

"Papa!" Fleur called in a scolding tone. She had not left instantly as Gabrielle had.

"Fleur, he'll be safe," Jean-Aimé glanced at Harry, "at least as long as he doesn't pull out his wand and I have no reason to believe he will."

"Papa, Harry _will_ be sleeping with me while he's here," she stated imperiously as if there was no alternative.

Harry decided to inspect the furniture for the moment and just pretend he wasn't here while hoping the remaining effects of the wine would go away. He also wiped his damp-feeling hands on his clothes as inconspicuously as possible.

Her father sighed and walked over, placing his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "I understand, Fleur, and given what I know has happened over the last few months, I will not get in the way of that. Nevertheless, I want to speak with Harry for a few minutes and I'd prefer to do it now rather than tomorrow. He'll join you very soon just as he is now."

Fleur stared at him for a moment before she nodded and kissed her father on the cheek. "I'll be waiting for you," she told Harry as she left for her room.

Apolline now stood there and looked at her husband without any demands, just looking amused but not moving either.

"You don't need to threaten me either," he told his wife. "Harry is perfectly safe if he wants to be. I'll join you in a few minutes." He stood and gestured to Harry "If you'll follow me, please?"

They were soon in the study and Jean-Aimé put a silencing charm on the door and very obviously put his wand away before offering Harry a seat.

"Harry, as you can see, I'm in a very delicate position here at times … something you should keep in mind as you may have the same problem if you plan to stay with Fleur. As you've no doubt started to find out, Veela can be very demanding at times. That can be both wonderful and worrisome."

Jean-Aimé leaned back in his chair. "Fleur is an adult and for all practical purposes, you are too. So despite what my initial desires might be, you two can do what you wish. However," he leaned forward and became very business-like, "what I will have an answer to is what your intentions are with my daughter. Is this a short-term fling or is this serious?"

Harry managed to hold the man's gaze, albeit barely. "Sir, my intentions with your daughter are nothing but honorable. She is not some _thing_ I intend to use and throw away. I didn't seek a relationship with her, but we have one now and I like it. I don't know where it's going, but I will treat it and her with respect. She's a wonderful person and deserves the best."

"Would you be willing to make a magical oath to that effect?" Jean-Aimé asked evenly.

Harry answered by pulling his wand out without any hesitation.

"Stop," the father said and held up his hand. "You're willingness is proof enough. I'm sorry for that, Harry, but I care for my daughters very much and someone must watch out for them. Please accept my apologies, I hope I didn't offend you too much, but I had to know."

Putting his wand away, Harry told him, "No sir, I understand. If I had a family, I'd be cautious for them too."

"Thank you, Harry, you're very gracious despite my forwardness." Jean-Aimé rose and walked over and clapped Harry on the shoulder. "May I ask for one small favor, or maybe two really?"

"Certainly, sir. It is your home."

The man chuckled. "I like to think that, but I find it isn't always true. Still, the favors…" He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "First, if you and Fleur do anything beyond kissing, please do that only in her room and away from Gabrielle. While my youngest may know about intimate acts, there is no reason to encourage her given her age."

"Of course," Harry agreed quickly. "She is still very young."

"She is and she isn't," the father said sadly. "Second, even if you don't need them, please silence Fleur's room every night. While I fully understand a Veela's need, I don't want to hear about what is happening between the two of you."

Harry blushed and nodded. "Yes, sir," he managed to croak out.

"Then I think everything will be fine. Oh, when you're questioned about this conversation, can you keep it to my two favors? I think that will be safer for both of us, or at least for me," the father said wishfully.

"Of course, sir. Err, do you think you could make time for Fleur and I to talk to you tomorrow? I've had an idea and after Fleur told me what you do for your job, I thought you'd be a good person to talk to," he said, hoping it all worked out.

"I'd be happy to. I need to do a few things in the morning, but I have the afternoon clear. Well, let's go face the music." Jean-Aimé led them out of the study, grateful it was clear all the way to the bedrooms. "Don't forget your charms," the father told him as he went on to the master suite.

As Harry closed the bedroom door, he heard, "He didn't threaten you, did he?"

Harry verbally cast a silencing charm on all the walls. "No, he said that we were adults and he would treat us as such. He just asked for a couple of favors."

"What?" she asked as though she didn't believe him.

"He asked that we keep anything beyond kissing in this room so we don't encourage Gabrielle to do anything like that and to use silencing charms so he wouldn't hear what we were doing in here." He really hoped it got dropped there; he was not to be quite that lucky.

"He took that long to say that?" she asked, very obviously not believing him.

Doing his best to walk a line very carefully, he moved over to her and pulled her into a loose embrace. "He used a lot more words. That was my summary of his requests," he said, trying to end that line of questions. "I also asked him for time tomorrow to talk about my plan. Now, let's go to bed my Fleur."

She still looked like she wasn't sure if she believed him, but she eventually kissed him and headed for the bathroom.

Harry mentally sighed, glad that was over. He wondered of Jean-Aimé had survived as well.

* * *

(Sat, Dec 21)

The next morning Harry and Fleur went down to breakfast and found Gabrielle and Apolline already there.

"Err, where's Jean-Aimé?"

"He went into the office," Apolline replied. "He said to remind you that he's set aside the afternoon for you."

"Right, thanks." Harry guessed Jean-Aimé must have survived last night as well.

"What are you going to do today?" Gabrielle asked.

"This morning," Fleur answered, "Harry and I are going to practice our fighting like we do most mornings. Then this afternoon, we need to talk to Papa. Harry needs to be tutored on how the government works."

Harry admired his girlfriend for a moment as he considered how creative of an answer that was. It was true, yet stated in a way to make her sister not want to be a part.

"Can I help?" the little girl asked.

"I'm sorry, Gabby, but you can't even do a shield yet. You can watch though." Fleur looked across the table. "Mother, would you be willing to help out? Maybe then Harry won't win them all."

Apolline raised an eyebrow. "You can't beat him any more?"

"No, Mother," Fleur said sadly, sounding a little upset for having to admit that. "Even if I started to use more destructive spells, which we avoid, he would start to use more power. I'd still lose and one or both of us would need a hospital."

"I think I'd like to see this," her mother said.

About twenty minutes later, all four of them had bundled up for the winter cold, causing Harry and Fleur to miss their tropical island. Gabrielle took a position next to a large tree such that she could duck behind it quickly if required, yet still watch the fight.

Fleur explained to her mother the type of spells that were allowed, only mildly destructive or less. The two women stood apart on one side of the back garden while Harry was on the other.

"Go!" Gabrielle shouted to start them.

Harry cast a Stunning spell at Apolline quickly followed by a Plant Animation spell near Fleur as he dodged to the right to avoid two spells coming at him.

"Go Harry!" Gabrielle shouted, rooting for the underdog in her mind.

Fleur stumbled as the grass came to life and unexpectedly grabbed at her feet. Harry ducked another spell and pressed his advantage by casting a Full Body Bind at Fleur, as he heard Apolline say the trigger word for a Bludgeoning spell. He cast another at Fleur as the first only grazed her because she twisted at the last moment. His second one hit her as the Bludgeoning hit his left shoulder and spun him around.

He grinned as he considered that a fair trade for taking out one opponent. Now he gave his full attention to Apolline. As she cast a Finite at Fleur to allow her to rejoin the fight, Harry stunned Apolline and then stunned Fleur before she could cast a spell at Harry.

Gabrielle yelled with delight as Harry put his hands on his knees and gasped for breath, his lungs burning slightly from the cold he wasn't used to. She ran over and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. "You were wonderful!" she told him enthusiastically.

"Thanks," he replied. "Let's go wake them up."

Harry stopped the animation on the grass as Gabrielle collected their wands, then he woke the two women.

They sat up and looked at each other. "Mer-" Apolline suddenly stopped herself and Fleur laughed. "Uh, wow," she said finally. "I think I'm out of practice if the two of us can't beat him."

"Now you see why I wanted help," Fleur told her.

"I got lucky," Harry told them quickly. He looked at the mother. "I would have had a lot harder time if you cast silently. By telling me what you're sending at me, I have an advantage."

She blinked. "I, uh, I didn't even realize you were casting silently." Apolline frowned. "I've never been that good at silent casting, except for a few spells."

"Then there's no time like the present to learn," Harry said with a grin. "Start by whispering then make them more silent as you get better."

"I can work on that. Shall we try again?" Apolline smiled broadly. "After Fleur and I talk for a moment."

Harry laughed and let them while Gabrielle went back to her spot on the side.

Four more fights with a break between each one ended the set with the score three for Harry and two for the women.

Jean-Aimé came out to join them as they were about to go back in. "What are we doing?"

"They're play fighting and Harry is beating the feathers off them," Gabrielle told him while giggling hard.

"It's not that bad, they won two," Harry said quickly and graciously.

"We only barely won our two," Apolline said honestly. She looked at her husband with a smile. "Why don't you take my place and see if you and Fleur can beat him? I don't think three on one would be fair."

"I'm willing," the man said and looked at the other two.

"How tired are you?" Fleur asked her boyfriend with a concerned look because he had expended a lot of magic fighting two people each time over multiple battles.

"I can do one more if you can," Harry told her confidently despite the fact that he was already feeling fatigued.

With a hint of resignation, Fleur explained the rules to her father and they readied themselves. Gabrielle shouted "Go!" again and they were off.

A couple of minutes later, Harry was feeling very tired from his efforts as Jean-Aimé was a better fighter than Apolline. Harry realized he needed to end this soon or he would lose due to exhaustion.

Not sure what else to do, he transfigured a slab of rock to rise from the ground to act as a shield so he wouldn't have to work as hard. With that in front of him, he started to snipe at the others. Jean-Aimé started to cast a spell to break the rock and Harry gambled and cast a shield not in front of himself but in front of Jean-Aimé. The man's spell hit the shield, shattering it, but also causing a blinding flash of light.

Harry was far enough away that he could still see well enough to stun the father and daughter, as both were disoriented and could not get their bearings to send a spell at him. The fight over, Harry collapsed on the ground, laying on his back and breathing hard.

Gabrielle ran over. "Harry, what's wrong?"

"Tired, so tired."

A few moments later, he felt himself rising in the air and moving.

Fleur appeared by his side. "You exhausted yourself, yes?"

"Maybe. A nap would be really good." He was getting his breath back, but he was so tired.

"Then go to sleep," she told him. "Lunch is still an hour away. I'll wake you then."

"OK," he told her and let his eyes close.

"I finally found his limits."

Harry couldn't help but smile as he drifted off.

— — —

"Here, drink this," he heard Fleur say as he woke, still groggy.

Trusting her implicitly, he drank it without even opening his eyes to see what it was. A moment later, he felt himself heating up and gaining energy. "A Pepperup potion?"

"Yes. Are you feeling better?"

"I'm well enough to get up, but no more fighting today," he admitted as he sat up. Looking around and finding they were alone, he leaned forward and kissed her slowly. "Thanks for taking care of me."

"Any time," she told him lovingly. "You really impressed father," she told him as they went downstairs from her bedroom. "He knows he's not a Hit Wizard, but he considers himself above average." She chuckled. "He says he will have to practice now to … to redeem himself."

"I look forward to it," he replied before hastily adding, "in a few days."

"I think no fighting tomorrow," she told him. "We'll need to find a way to exercise, or maybe we can go back to the island every morning for that?" She looked at him questioningly.

"We'll figure something out," he answered, not sure himself.

After a lunch where they talked about the fights and Harry received much praise, Jean-Aimé led their guest and his oldest daughter to his study after Harry went to his bag to retrieve a thin book.

"Silencing spells please, Father. This is very sensitive," Fleur told him seriously.

Without batting an eye or asking a question, he did as asked before he sat in the sitting area of the room, the two younger ones on the couch, and looking at Harry. "I assume this is for me in my role as Department Head of Relations Internationales. So, what can I do for you?"

"Yes, sir," Harry answered solemnly and nervously. "Before I really start, I have a few questions. Is it your department that works with the ICW?"

"Yes. Like Britain, the Minister appoints our representative to the ICW, but once that is done, the representative or ambassador reports to me."

"What are the ICW's feelings on what's happening in Britain? Are they doing anything about the Dark Wizard Voldemort?" Harry asked, really curious about this one. He was pleased to see that Jean-Aimé didn't flinch at the name.

Jean-Aimé returned the curious look but answered the question. "Their position is that the troubles in Britain are an internal affair, especially since the British Ministry for Magic insists that is the case and the Supreme Mugwump Dumbledore hasn't denied it - officially." As Harry started to speak up, Jean-Aimé raised a hand to stall him. "However, we have had reports of this Voldemort traveling to other countries - including France - to recruit and that is causing some to question just how internal the affair is."

"Dumbledore again," Harry said with disgust, causing Fleur to put her arm around his shoulders.

"Let go of the anger," she told him soothingly and quietly.

He took a few deep breaths before smiling his thanks at her. "One last question for the moment, sir. Is there any possibility of Dumbledore being removed from his position soon?"

Jean-Aimé's amusement grew and he seemed to be holding a chuckle in. "A very interesting question, Harry. There are always some who would like to see him removed from his office of Supreme Mugwump. However, at this time there is not enough support to make it happen. I can say that if something large enough came along, it probably would not be hard to force him to resign."

With a nod for acknowledgement, Harry looked down at the slim book he'd been holding tightly. His nervousness returned double. "I'm … I'm almost certain I know how to destroy Voldemort and probably all of his marked followers, the Death Eaters. However I can't do it alone, I need help and the ICW is really the only one I can turn to. The British Ministry of Magic would never help me with this."

The man sat up straight in his chair. "How certain is _almost certain_?"

"I know Voldemort would definitely die. The Death Eaters might live, but I really don't think they would survive. I'm sorry," he said strained, "but I can't give this to you for France because one country shouldn't go against another, but if you promised to take this to the ICW so it was everyone making Britain do the right thing, I'll give it to you for that."

"Tell him the rest," Fleur commanded. "He needs to know it all."

Harry looked at her with a little fear but nodded. "If this is done, it'll disrupt Britain enough that the Ministry will probably fall, but I think that's a good thing as it's shown time and again that it's corrupt. The Ministry needs to be reformed and this will allow the ICW to easily push out the old Pureblood minority that controls so much to form a more fair government.

"It will also affect what Fleur calls innocents, people who don't deserve this. She and I don't fully see eye to eye on this, as she wants to save everyone else while I only want to save the truly innocent, like those under eleven. There are other problems we don't have answers for and will need help with, but that's all discussed in here."

He slowly set the slim book on the table in the middle with trembling hands. "That's our proposal. You probably only need to read the first four pages now. That would tell you how I see Britain and what could be done to fix it."

"It's the summary," Fleur added.

"Yes, the summary," he agreed. "The next five pages tell you how we'd implement it as well as questions we need help answering. The last twelve pages are the details to do the most important parts, or at least the parts that I've tested."

Jean-Aimé looked at the book for a moment as if trying to judge it by its plain black cover. "You're proposing to do something to the entire country, yes?"

Harry nodded. "Yes," he said softly. "It's really the only way to make sure this plan comes close to working. Also, if anyone is under the Imperious Curse, as well as any other long term curses, it will free them."

The man picked up the book and started reading, his expression becoming more pinched the more he read. Harry put his arms around Fleur to gain strength, hardly believing they were doing this for real.

Ten minutes later, Jean-Aimé put the book back on the table after reading the summary and skimming the rest. Standing, he walked over to a cabinet on the side of the room. He returned and placed three glasses on the table before opening a bottle of red wine. He filled his and said, "Help yourself if you want." He drank half of his in a single gulp before holding the glass in his lap and staring at it as if for advice.

Fleur poured a little for herself, but Harry shook his head no. Fleur took a sip before she held out her glass to Harry anyway. "A little will help settle you," she told him. He finally relented and drank a few sips.

"There are those who have been calling for our harshest penalty for Britain, perhaps this is needed compromise," he murmured as he considered it a little longer.

"Is that the only copy of this work?" Jean-Aimé asked them eventually.

"It's the only one I have here," Harry replied. "The original is at my home and no one but the two of us can get to it. I don't plan to take it from there either."

"That's wise. You are very correct to be careful with this information, even if you do have gaps in your plan. You have stated enough that anyone competent could do it. I will do a spell on it to restrict who can read it and I promise to take it before the ICW personally. Do you trust me Harry? I will take an oath to protect it if you desire."

He looked at his girlfriend.

"He's my father so I trust him, but you do what you think is right," she told him.

Harry nodded and was relieved this wouldn't cause a problem between them. "An oath of secrecy and also that anyone else who sees this and has to work with it will also take an oath of secrecy. It will really only work to its fullest extent if there is surprise when it is performed in Britain."

"A reasonable request," Jean-Aimé said before he gave his oath of secrecy. He then did a spell on the book before having the two of them place a hand on the book and doing another spell. "Only the three of us can read it now and I'll require a secrecy oath before I add anyone else to the reader list or to the work teams.

"I personally believe your statements of the situation in Britain, especially in regards to the breaking of the Statute of Secrecy and corruption in the government, will be enough to dismiss Dumbledore once they are shown. If he can't properly lead his own country, he is not fit to lead the ICW. I will see to that task first as it will help with the secrecy of this project. I will also personally present this to the department head of Research for the ICW. He will pull in a few required people to figure out if this will work as you've specified or if it will need to be adapted. As you suggest, there will obviously need to be more tests before it is implemented for real.

"I say this to point out to you that I will try to make this work as I can see that you do care about your country and I agree that Britain has problems it will not solve itself. However it is not certain the ICW will do this. There are many places along the way where this plan may be stopped. Do you understand, Harry?" Jean-Aimé looked at him patiently.

Harry nodded. "I do and thank you, sir. Fleur and I have already talked about it and we understand this may not happen. If this is not done, I'll do my best to convince my friends to leave Britain and I'll never return again." He looked at his girlfriend and smiled. "Fleur and I will figure out something, whether we return to the home I have now or move to a place near here or even to a place further away."

"Thank you, Harry, I appreciate your understanding. I'll take this to the ICW on January 2nd so I can think in the meantime about how best to make this happen. Also, almost no work happens over the holidays at the ICW, so starting this Monday would be a waste of time," he explained.

"Of course, thank you again," Harry said feeling more and more relieved to hand this burden off.

"Father will take care of it as he promised so we can forget about it for now. Come and let's go for a walk to take your mind off of this," she said as she pulled him up. After they had left her father, she whispered, "Or if you really need extra help to get your mind off of that, we can go test the silencing charms in my room," she said with a mischievous grin.

* * *

(Mon, Jan 27 - 1997)

Albus Dumbledore knocked and then opened the door without waiting, walking into the Minister for Magic's office. Samuel Thorenson also walked in before Dumbledore closed and sealed the door for privacy.

"I'm sorry for the interruption, Rufus," Dumbledore said and sounding truly sorry, "but your secretary said you had nothing planned for the rest of this hour and I have a most urgent matter."

Rufus Scrimgeour looked at Dumbledore with an annoyed look, as well as a glance at the new Head of International Relations - a look that was easily interpreted as "Why is he here?" However, what he said was, "Dumbledore, I'm quite busy with paperwork and don't have time to meet with either of you at the moment."

"Well," Dumbledore said with complete calm, "if you want Thorenson to appoint a new representative to the ICW and you want to preside over the death of the Ministry soon, then I won't take up any of your time."

Scrimgeour dropped his quill and leaned back in his chair. "Very well, you have my attention. What disaster do you have to report? I thought you said you had the ICW well in hand."

"Rufus," Dumbledore said as if disappointed in having to explain, "the ICW is never well in hand. At best, it is managed in the least disagreeable manner at the time.

"It is difficult to lead, made more so by having to tell everyone that the official position of Britain is that our conflict with Voldemort is an internal matter while also talking with various members in private to see if they are amenable to helping us with support of some kind. The conflicting messages have been such a difficult task that I've been considering resigning for some time; however, that is no longer a concern as I was given the ultimatum of resigning or facing an in-depth investigation for mismanagement of the country and for corruption."

"Mismanagement of the country and corruption?" the Minister echoed incredulously and hotly. "It would be difficult to find a country less corrupt than ours, though I know we have more corruption than I like. Most of those countries are run by tin dictators that only do what's needed because of bribes."

"The charge of corruption is an easy allegation to make whether it is true or not," Dumbledore said easily as if not bothered by it at all. "The more serious charge is mismanagement of the country. As it was explained to me, if we can not deal with a Dark Wizard who crosses borders into other countries, as well as allowing multiple breaches of the Statute of Secrecy - the ICW's highest directive - then Britain should not have the Supreme Mugwump position which leads the organization. When stated like that, it's hard to argue, especially as I find myself agreeing with them."

"So, you're no longer Supreme Mugwump; that doesn't sound so bad," Scrimgeour retorted. "As for the breaches of the Statute of Secrecy, we didn't do that and couldn't stop it. Therefore, there's no emergency."

"To the first point, you need to replace me with a new representative to the ICW, as I can no longer return unless invited. If you don't do so, then the task to appoint my replacement will fall to Mr Thorenson; unless you want to delegate that. Do as you wish there.

"The second point is far more important," Dumbledore became extremely serious. "I believe all three of us need to send a letter to Voldemort telling him that he needs to keep his actions inside Britain as well as stop breaking the Statute of Secrecy or the ICW will impose the Ministerial Death Penalty. He also needs to rein in the Dementors."

"What? Are you daft?" Thorenson exclaimed as he sat straight up in his chair. "I'm not writing any letter to _Him,_ especially one that tells him not to do what he wants."

Scrimgeour didn't protest, but he didn't look happy either. "What is this Ministerial Death Penalty? I've never heard of it."

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and assumed his professor role. "Shortly after the formation of the ICW in 1692, they drafted the Statute of Secrecy to protect our society world-wide. Not long after that, several countries who had joined the ICW were in violation of the Statute and refused to comply. The ICW realized, like any Ministry, that laws without penalties and a law enforcement group were worthless. So they created the Ministerial Death Penalty for any country that didn't comply. The threat was enough to make all the countries in violation comply except for one - Peru.

"Therefore, in 1744, every member country had to send from two to twenty-five Hit Wizards, based on the country's population, and that group went to Peru and took down the government, rewrote the laws to make the violations illegal, and they reformed the government to be controlled by the ICW until the year 2044. At the end of three hundred years, the government will be returned to the Peruvians, assuming there are any left. Their numbers have dwindled drastically from being killed in the three revolts, which the ICW put down hard every time.

"Basically, they take over your country until several generations have passed and all anyone can remember is the ICW way. That is what we're facing if we continue on like we are now," Albus Dumbledore concluded.

"You're joking," Thorenson said hopefully.

"Not in the slightest," Dumbledore returned before turning back to Scrimgeour. "The threat was the last thing they told me before I left."

After a long moment, the Minister said, "Dumbledore and I will write the letters as Chief Warlock and Minister. I don't think adding a Department Head will help."

Thorenson looked relieved.

"However, I'm making you the replacement to the ICW, Thorenson. Find someone as your replacement as the department head and make sure the person can keep his head in difficult situations. While you're at the ICW, do your best to find out what's going on. We need as much warning about what's happening as possible," the Minister stressed.

"Of course, Minister."

"You're dismissed." Scrimgeour looked Dumbledore. "A moment more, Chief Warlock; I have a Wizengamot matter to discuss with you."

After Thorenson was gone, the Minister reapplied the privacy spells. "I had little choice in who to put in his position. Do you know if he has the Dark Mark?"

"I believe not," Dumbledore answered. "However, I believe he is a sympathizer so I also believe the message will make its way to Voldemort eventually through him, which was why I invited him."

Scrimgeour shook his head, wishing he didn't have to deal with this. "And why I made him find his replacement. It will be interesting to see who he nominates, as that will be a person to watch." The Minister sighed. "Do you think `V' will cooperate with our suggestions in the letters?"

"I would like to hope he would, but I honestly don't know. If I must guess, I think he will probably believe it was all a bluff to stop him."

"And no luck in the Wizengamot in making them see reason to make this war easier." Scrimgeour looked hard at Dumbledore. "I ask again, do you know where Harry Potter is? We need him as a rallying point to bring people together."

"I don't believe he's in Britain any more, but I can't say for sure," Dumbledore said sadly. "While he didn't return my last letter to him in ashes this time, he essentially told me to leave him alone and that included Arthur Weasley whom he used to see as family. Do not waste your time thinking about Harry Potter until he returns, Minister. Before you ask, I still have no idea when that will be."

Scrimgeour slapped the desk in frustration. "I can't believe you were so foolhardy to force him away."

"I have many regrets in my long life, Rufus, and Harry Potter is at the top of list," Dumbledore told him sincerely. "However, I nor anyone else can change the past. We must work together to allow Britain to survive the coming political storm."

"How do you think the Wizengamot will react to this news?"

"It's difficult to say, but I believe a few will be initially frightened. However, the rest will believe it's a bluff on the ICW's part and nothing I say will matter and nothing will change. The key will be Voldemort and how he reacts," Dumbledore predicted.

"I fear you are correct, or will be correct. Isn't this lovely?" the Minister said sarcastically.

He considered it a moment longer before he leaned forward and placed his elbows on the desk. "Albus, I know you like your school, but this country needs you more for the next year. If the Wizengamot fails to do anything to really help as we've predicted, will you form a group to find a solution to this problem and take it over as your full time job except for Chief Warlock duties?"

"You want me to step down as Headmaster?" Dumbledore was surprised. "I'm sorry, Rufus; I can't do that. Who would protect the students?"

"I'll give you ten percent of the Aurors and Hit Wizards. Use some of them as a protection force. Hell, base them at the school so those not in the field are the protection force if you want. I'll also increase the Auror and Hit Wizards, probably only the Hit Wizards at first as that program is faster to complete. Maybe that will give us some results and show the ICW that we are trying to handle this, and just maybe buy us some more time so that we can turn this around."

Albus considered the idea, especially since there was no indication of when, or even if, Harry Potter would return. While he didn't want to do this, at least he would be in charge and could set the policy to not kill everyone. It would also allow him to coordinate activities between this group and the Order of the Phoenix. Unfortunately, he didn't believe he had much choice if they were to keep the ICW away. The international body was actually a bigger threat than Voldemort was in some ways.

"I suppose I could stay as Headmaster and live at the school, but have Minerva run it. I'd have to hire a new Transfiguration teacher. I could give up my salary to make that happen. How do you plan to pay for all the new MLE personnel?"

"If you can capture some Death Eaters, I'll see about adding some large fines." Scrimgeour grinned for the first time of the meeting. "If any in the Wizengamot don't want to vote for that, I'll tell them that the Auror force isn't large enough to give them any help if they're attacked, or at least not in a timely matter because the force is so stretched."

Dumbledore chuckled. "That will be a good incentive. While this is not my first choice in how to fight the war, I think we can make this work with a little bit of luck."

* * *

(Tue, Feb 11)

"I want to thank everyone for coming this evening," Dumbledore addressed the Order of the Phoenix with his usual smile. "I'd like to bring everyone up to date on what is happening as well as pass on some warnings."

A number of people shifted uneasily at the mention of warnings.

"As you all know, despite the difficulties that the Minister has had passing new legislation to help in the war effort, he did manage pass a law severely increasing the fine for bearing the Dark Mark, at least for those who are arrested for other crimes."

"It's too bad," Remus Lupin commented out loud, "that he couldn't do it for only having the Dark Mark in general."

"While that would have helped," Dumbledore answered patiently, "that was not possible with the current make-up of the Wizengamot.

"These fines will go for paying for new Hit Wizards and enrollment in the new classes opened today. So if you know anyone who would like to sign up for being a Hit Wizard, please have them contact the Ministry as soon as possible.

"In addition," Dumbledore continued, "I have been given the head of a task force of twelve Aurors and six Hit Wizards. Our goal is to take a more active role in the war. This is especially important as I've been the told the number of Death Eaters has been on the rise."

There were multiple intakes of breath at that spot of bad news.

"Professor?" Arthur Weasley spoke up and Dumbledore gave him a nod. "I think the task force is good news, but why is the ministry just now doing this? Why wasn't this done as soon as Scrimgeour took office?"

"That's a good question." Dumbledore looked at the whole group for a moment. "There is a new side in the war, the ICW. They've given us an ultimatum. In simplistic terms they've told us to either end the war or they will."

There were multiple cries of surprise and a few of outrage.

Dumbledore held up his hands and eventually the calm returned that he could continue. "If you're not aware, their number one priority is the Statute of Secrecy. Consider the number of Death Eater strikes visible to the Muggles over the last six months…" He let that hang in the air and looked around, seeing many contemplative looks.

"Are they really serious about this?" Kingsley Shacklebolt asked.

"They are. I was essentially forced to resign as Supreme Mugwump last week, which I believe is a show of how serious they are and it's why I have time for this task force.

"The majority of the working members of the force will live at Hogwarts. That will give the school some extra protection. I will also be able to coordinate information between that group and this one. I'm hopeful we can make many arrests and show them the error of their ways as well as deprive Voldemort of his support."

He looked at his deputy. "I must also thank Professor McGonagall for taking over the day to day running of the school while I do this. We'll need a part-time Transfiguration teacher, so if anyone knows of someone who can do that for the rest of this year and possibly next year, please let one of us know."

McGonagall still didn't look very happy at the situation, but she gave him a nod in appreciation of the announcement.

"Professor?" Hestia Jones spoke up. "This is why there was an explosion at the Ministry today, wasn't it?"

Sadly, Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. The Minister and I both sent a letter to Voldemort last week explaining the situation with the ICW and asking him to stop going to other countries to recruit more Death Eaters and to respect the Statute of Secrecy.

"Instead, he decided to collapse the public entrance to the ministry, exposing the Ministry to anyone who was to walk by where the old phone booth used to be. The Obliviators had a very trying time keeping people away and removing knowledge of what was seen immediately after the attack."

"So You-Know-Who won't cooperate?" Arthur asked incredulously.

"It appears not, and if he continues this way, the ICW will move in and take over our country for the next three hundred years," Dumbledore told them gravely. "So please be willing to help with any information gathering that you can so we can resolve this war ourselves."

It was a very shocked group the left that evening.

* * *

(Fri, Feb 14)

Dumbledore welcomed Alastor Moody and Bill Weasley into his new office at Hogwarts. He missed the Headmaster's office after only three days, but at least this one had a Floo Network connection beyond Hogwarts as well.

"I'd like to recruit both of you for a special assignment that will require the utmost secrecy." He looked at both of them gravely.

"I'll be happy to help with your special project, Professor," Bill told him with a hint of enthusiasm.

Moody took a little longer to answer. "It depends on what you had in mind, Albus."

Albus watched his old friend carefully as he said, "I've determined why Voldemort didn't die in 1981 and I need some help rectifying that." He sighed and looked wistful for a brief moment. "I had hoped that I could have Harry Potter help me with this project this year, but that desire seems to be in vain. Will you help?"

That Bill Weasley frowned for a moment was interesting, but Albus was more concerned what Moody would say.

"Will this be full-time?" Moody asked. "I'd hoped to hunt a few Death Eaters."

"I believe you'll have time for that; as Bill will need time for his regular job. It's also quite possible you'll run into a few Death Eaters while doing this, but I'm much more concerned about traps." Dumbledore gave a nod to Bill, who nodded in understanding why he was involved now.

"Who else do you plan to tell?" Moody queried.

"No one else," Dumbledore replied quietly. "I hadn't planned to share this with anyone before, but with Harry not here and this task force plus being Chief Warlock, I've decided to delegate this project to two people who understand keeping secrets. Between your experience with the Dark Arts and your magic eye combined with Bill's skills as a curse breaker, I believe you'd be an effective team."

"Why do you keep bringing up Potter?" Bill asked a little belligerently.

Dumbledore contemplated what to say for a moment. "Let's just say that I believe Voldemort's and Harry's destinies are intertwined as evidenced by what happened when he was toddler and his reoccurring battles since then. Because of that, I believe that Harry will be the one to ultimately defeat Voldemort. My guess may be wrong, but that is my belief."

Moody grunted. "That's why we spent so much effort trying to guard the boy?"

"Yes," Dumbledore admitted.

The retired Auror looked at Bill for a moment with his magical eye, evaluating him. "Very well, I'll do it." He received a nod from Bill.

"Very good," Dumbledore said as he pulled a file out of a drawer and placed it in front of them. "This is what I know as well as some of my guesses about what you'll need to do. Again, I must stress that absolutely no one else learn of this. In fact, I'd prefer to give you a room here that only the two of you and myself can enter and that information stay in it."

"Good idea," Moody said as he rose.

Albus and Bill put wards on a room that allowed only the three to enter and the "hunting team" was started.

When Albus left them, Moody turned to his partner. "Weasley, maybe this file will change our minds, but I think I'd like to take a very close look at the old ones from the first war, especially those who pled the Imperius to avoid Azkaban."

"We don't even know what we have to do yet," the young man protested as he gestured at the file in front of Moody.

"Not yet, but I can almost guarantee The Evil One had help." Moody opened the file and started reading, handing each page to Bill as he finished.

"Ever heard of a Horcrux before?" the old Auror asked at the end.

"Yeah, in Egypt. This isn't going to be easy," Bill said with a shake of the head.

"Fighting evil never is, but we'll find a way to do this and make them pay for it," Moody growled.

* * *

(Sun, Feb 16)

Harry and Fleur stepped out of the Floo early on a Sunday morning, finding the large and lavish looking lobby almost empty. Two guards at desks on either side of the corridor and an older man were the only ones they could see.

"Welcome to the ICW. I'm Hans Braun, the head of Research for the ICW. You can call me Herr Braun," he told them as he shook their hands and then gestured towards the guards and started to slowly walk that way. "You can keep your names to yourself at the moment. We can talk and meet the team in a few minutes."

As he signed them in, Harry noticed they were registered as "RV13078" and "RV13079". They were also required to key their new identification cards to them via a drop of blood.

"There, they will only work for you now and you can avoid the main entrance next time and come directly to my department," he explained as he led them past the guards.

"Wow," Harry said softly as they entered the lobby proper and took their first look out of the big window there.

Braun chuckled. "Our picturesque view is why this room is so large. Many informal discussions are held here. On the outside, that window is very small and unnoticeable to the Non-magicals in the area. As you can probably guess, this entire complex is inside a mountain, hollowed out by the Goblins many years ago."

Entering a doorway, he took them deeper into the mountain, although they wouldn't have known it as the place was well lit and cheerful looking.

"You may think of my department as something like the Department of Mysteries in your Britain. The main difference is that our research is primarily focused on keeping the Secrecy of Magic, as well as coordinating efforts that span country lines."

"Jean-Aimé has shared with me that Voldemort has not been trying very hard to keep magic secret and he's been traveling to other countries to recruit," Harry commented.

"Yes, it is a very sad situation. The Ministry of Magic there seems to be trying to make some effort to bring the war under control, but it's not enough nor is it fast enough. Keeping the Statute of Secrecy is of upmost importance, and we have to look beyond a single country for the good of all. That is forcing our hand. I think all of us would like to avoid the Ministerial Death Penalty for Britain, so we're excited to see if your idea works. It's an interesting compromise."

Harry nodded. Jean-Aimé had filled him in on the Ministerial Death Penalty and how that had worked out for Peru so far. He really didn't want that for Britain. His idea was still very extreme, but not as bad in an overall way.

"While we're excited about what you accidentally discovered, there is much work in front of us. Your original configuration works well for small areas, but for an area the size of the British Isle it must be changed," Braun explained. "We're happy that the effort to adapt it is well under way and expect to have the final version of it soon. We've also started searching for Squibs who have the right background to help."

Harry looked at Fleur and they smiled at each other. "I'm sure there is much to do, but it sounds like we have a good start."

"We do," the head researcher agreed.

Entering a large conference room, they saw a small team of four others, whom they were introduced to. Braun gave them details of the work so far and also tasks for everyone to do. Early to mid-March was the next expected milestone.

Afterward, Harry and Fleur left for Berne to find an apartment to live in when they visited the ICW. Their business complete in Switzerland, they traveled to Athens for a short visit.

* * *

(Wed, Feb 25)

Harry read the clipped article from the _Daily Prophet_ one more time just to be sure he hadn't imagined it all. As he finished, he handed it and Ginny's letter to Fleur as he thought about it all.

When she set the post down, he asked, "When was the next time you planned to go to Paris?"

"At the end of March, nearly a month from now," Fleur answered easily. "Why? You have no reason to be concerned, or I don't think so."

Harry harrumphed and looked out the window for a moment before turning back to seeing a very calm Fleur finishing her breakfast. "The article shows she's not making it up. The Ministry has confiscated large amounts from the families of Death Eaters by using laws to force the goblins to take it directly from their accounts. A part of me is very happy to see them doing something useful, but I don't like it. Who's to say they won't confiscate my vaults too?"

"Why would they?" she asked.

"Because they do stupid things all the time in regards to me. Some rumor gets out and suddenly I'm the root of all evil," he told her, gesturing wildly. "You remember all of the fuss about me during the Triwizard Tournament, don't you?"

Fleur sighed and gave him an evaluating look.

"I want to go to Paris and move all the Black vaults from Britain to there, since I've already moved the Potter vaults." He gave her a pointed look.

"I suppose I can understand," she replied causing him to smile in triumph. "However! My spring mating cycle is coming soon, I can feel it. Now is not the best time to go."

Harry frowned. "Can we make it a day trip? You know, we stay there just long enough to give the order and sign for it? Please Fleur, this is important to me. I don't want to be taken advantage of again."

She sighed again as she closed her eyes and went very still, reaching inward to her Veela power … evaluating. After a long moment, she opened her eyes. "I don't think my cycle will start today, but we must return here as soon as possible."

Harry whooped and grinned. "Go get changed then. Maybe we'll even be back by lunch."

"I doubt it," Fleur said with resignation as she stood to go change her clothes and shooed him off to change his.

Half an hour later, following a Portkey and Floo ride saw both of them walk into Gringotts bank in Paris in disguise. Fleur discreetly showed her bank badge to the supervising goblin and asked to speak to a manager. A few minutes later they were sitting in a small office.

"What can I help you with, Liaison Delacour?" the goblin who was introduced as Ridgerok asked.

"My client, Harry Potter," she produced his identity disk, "wants to move the contents of all of his vaults left in Britain to this Paris branch."

The goblin seemed to toy with the disk for a moment, spinning it slowly in his hand, before his eye went wide. "Did you say move all of his remaining vaults?"

"Yes," Harry replied for her. "They can stay here in Gringotts, but I want all of it out of Britain. I understand there is a fee for this and I'll pay it if you can bring it all here over the next two days without any other wizard knowing about it."

"Gringotts does _not_ spread confidential news," the goblin growled, offended.

Harry held his hand up. "Please, no offense was intended, but I have no idea who might find out about the transfer or help carry it out. While I trust the goblins with my vaults, I have no idea what any wizards that you employ might do. After all, my name has some fame in Britain, whether I like it or not."

The goblin relaxed, mostly. "Apology accepted," Ridgerok said with a tight nod. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a form then spent several minutes filling in blanks. When he was satisfied, he gave the form to Harry.

Harry saw that all of the Black vaults were listed and that the usual fee was as he was told when he'd enquired about transfers earlier. Fleur nodded when he showed it to her so he signed it.

"It will be done by the beginning of business on Friday. Was there anything else?" Ridgerok looked at them with an expression that seemed to indicate he wanted the answer to be 'no'.

"I believe that's it," Harry announced as he stood. "Thank you for your help."

Ridgerok grunted and indicated his door.

"Shall we go have lunch before we return home?" Harry said, as he held out his arm for her to walk beside him and for her to subtly lead them out of the bank.

Outside, Harry guided them towards a restaurant. "Why did he seem so upset?"

Very quietly, Fleur replied, "Because moving that much money changes things, probably considerably, and the goblins don't like sudden change."

"But it's all within their banking system," he argued back just as quietly.

"True, but it's still a large change and they don't like that. I'm sorry," she said with a shrug, "that's all I can say. I don't know any more."

"Very well. Shall we try that Indian restaurant you mentioned last time?"

"Oui!" she said brightly and pulled him in that direction.

* * *

(Fri, Feb 28)

Albus Dumbledore walked into a large conference room at the Ministry of Magic and took his designated seat as Chief Warlock. The Minister was there as were all the department and sub-department heads.

The Minister ordered the door sealed and sound-proofed before he turned to Dirk Creswell, the Liaison to the Goblins. "Cresswell, tell everyone the news and then we can figure out how to deal with it."

Everyone's attention turned to the man who had a job no one else seemed to want. Clearing his throat, Creswell said, "There is big news from Gringotts this morning. I was told that the interest rate for all loans, including those to the Ministry, were rising two percent. In addition, they are calling in some loans, those who are riskier I was told. While the goblin didn't say who those loans belonged to," he looked at Dumbledore, "they implied it was for people who might lose their cash money in the near future."

"This is tied to the confiscation of those Death Eater vaults, isn't it?" the Minister asked as if he didn't really want to deal with this.

"They wouldn't say it," Creswell said, looking a little strained, "but I believe that was the hidden message."

"So," the Minster looked at Dumbledore, "it seemed like a good idea at the time, but do we want to continue that policy? This is going to hurt the economy."

"Dirk," Dumbledore addressed the young sub-department head, "did they say that the rates would go back to normal if we stopped asking them to pay fines from the vaults of those we convict?"

"I asked that very question, Chief Warlock," Creswell said very pleased he'd anticipated this. "Unfortunately, the only answer I got back was that war changes things."

Dumbledore shook his head slightly. Trying to prevent interference from the ICW was bad enough, but now the goblins were making things harder.

"Thank you, Creswell," the Minister said with a nod. "Now, we need to discuss how this impacts us and what we're going to do since we use short-term loans at times. We also need to find a way to spin this to deflect the damage to You-Know-Who as best we can as well as determine what we have to do to pay for our own financial obligations. Suggestions?" he called out.

— — —

That evening, Ginny took her book bag to the seventh floor and paced in front of where the door to the Room of Requirement was supposed to be. To her surprise, it finally opened for her. The last few times she'd tried it hadn't, which was a mystery to her.

With great care, she locked the door with a bolt and spelled it shut to be doubly safe. As she looked around she saw the most luxurious bathroom she'd ever seen, even putting the Prefect's bathroom to shame. Setting the bag down, she pulled out a package that Fleur had sent to her, one that she'd been promised that Harry hadn't seen.

Opening the package, she pulled out what looked like scraps of cloth at first. Shaking her head and thinking this was a prank of some kind, she undressed and then tried to put the "clothes" on. She blushed deeply when she looked in the mirror and saw the tiny swimsuit on her.

"Fleur wears things like this?" she exclaimed to herself. After a long moment of looking, she muttered to herself. "How bad do I want this?" She took that one off and tried on the next, over and over until she'd tried them all. In the end, she resolved to come back and do this again, trying to get used to them in front of the large mirror while telling herself it was worth it - yet she was not sure it was.

* * *

(A/N: This chapter was beta'd by AlekTas. Any remaining mistakes would be mine from last minute editing.)


	9. Testing and Talks

(A/N: Yes, I am making things up about the Goblins. :)

* * *

**Chapter 9 - Testing and Talks**

(Mon, Mar 10)

Harry and Fleur took her Portkey to the Delacour house and then went with Jean-Aimé to a little island in Greece, an island that wasn't known to Muggles. It was an island that wasn't too dissimilar to his own. There was a hill on one end and they were about the same size and shape. However, his was covered in lush vegetation while this one was barren and rocky.

There they were told to Apparate to the large yellow flag on a large ship that wasn't far away. They all looked carefully and Apparated. Jean-Aimé was pulled to the side by a man needing to speak with him while Harry and Fleur were sent over to stand under a canvas cover , which must have been held up by magic because the pole in each corner just stood by itself – still, it kept the sun off of them.

A moment later, a familiar older man walked over to them. "Mr Potter, Miss Delacour."

"Herr Braun, it's good to see you again." Harry said with a smile at the Head Researcher for the ICW as he shook his hand. "I'm glad to see everything looks to be on schedule for the test,"

"It's good to see you both as well." Braun kissed Fleur's hand after he had shook Harry's. "Some of my group are still setting up the last of the Runic Markers that are required, so it may be another half-hour before we're ready for you to do your part."

Braun looked at him for a moment very thoughtfully. "I've given each of you much thought after our last meeting. If this is the kind of thing we can expect you to invent, I'd like you to consider coming to work for me after you have finished your schooling. Anyone who can come up with ideas this intriguing is someone I'd like to interview about working for me. Miss Delacour, you'd be welcome for an interview too if that appeals to you."

"Thank you," they both told him enthusiastically.

"In case no one else has said it, thank you for being willing to help with this. I personally believe that it would have taken a lot longer to get this far without you." Braun held up his hand to stop their protests. "It's not so much your fame in your homeland, Mr Potter, but the fact that you're British. That single small fact has removed several political obstacles. Your involvement make it more obvious that this action is to help Britain.

"I'll leave you here while I check the final preparations. Have a seat and make yourselves comfortable. There are also several pairs of Omnioculars on the table if you'd like to have a closer look while you wait." Braun slowly walked off with a eager look.

Harry and Fleur each grabbed a set of Omnioculars and zoomed in as much as they could on the island, trying to fully understand what was about to happen, despite already being briefed on it all.

A few minutes later, heavy footsteps caused them to lower their viewers. Behind them a very stout looking goblin with a wicked looking knife on his belt approached them, along with an attendant at his side. They were followed by four guards dressed in battle armor, each with a short sword on their back and a spear in their hands.

Harry was about to ask what was going on when he saw Fleur's eyes widen and she hastily bowed. "Director, we are honored by your presence." A soft backhanded slap on his leg clued him in that he should follow her lead.

"Director," he said solemnly and bowed.

"I see my reputation precedes me." The goblin grinned showing many sharp teeth as he looked between the two of them. "I was told I could get answers from a Harry Potter, but I was not told he had a companion."

"I am Fleur Delacour, a Liaison for Gringotts West. This is the Harry Potter you seek," she indicated with her hand. "How may we help you today, Director Ragnik?"

Harry felt lost at the moment, realizing there was much more going on than he knew. What was it with "Gringotts West"? And wasn't the Director's name Ragnok?

The goblin gave her the slightest of nods. "Well met, Liaison Delacour. As I didn't expect to find anyone from either Gringotts here, what is your involvement?"

"I'm on an extended assignment as Liaison to Harry Potter to help him and to help protect his interests. In addition, I also helped him refine his idea for this experiment," she answered demurely.

"I see." Ragnik turned slightly. "Mr Potter, it appears that you are a wizard of many talents and many holdings. Now, to business. What exactly is going on out there?" He brushed his hand in the direction of the island.

Harry still wasn't sure what was going on, but he didn't forget their purpose. "My apologies, Director, but who are you exactly and have you and your group given the appropriate oath for secrecy?" If Fleur's sudden grasp on his arm wasn't enough of an indication that he'd just done something wrong, the four guards and attendant's look of outrage clued him in that he'd really screwed up.

However, after a few very long seconds of absolute silence, the goblin leader threw his head back and laughed loudly, causing the remaining goblins and Fleur to look completely surprised and flummoxed. It also meant they relaxed slightly.

The head goblin finally brought his laughter under control to a light occasional chortle. "That was funny. It's rare that people speak to me in such a tone. Of course that might be because I am usually inside Goblin territory and such actions would soon see you bereft of your head, but here that was truly funny."

Harry gulped and turned to look at Fleur who looked as mystified as he felt.

"I admire a person who doesn't lose sight of what's important, even if he is a wizard." Ragnik showed his pointy and sharp teeth again. "Yes, we have given our promise of secrecy, Mr Potter, so have no fear.

"I am Ragnik, Director of Gringotts East, or over eastern Europe if you prefer. If you're confused, my brother Ragnok is Director of Gringotts West and he's made London his headquarters. My headquarters is in Athens. The reason I'm here is because I've supplied two goblins for your experiment and I want to understand why this is so important. Does that answer your questions, Mr Potter?" The question had a hint of challenge.

Harry bowed slightly in acknowledgement. "Thank you, Director, and my apologies. I meant no offense."

The aged goblin gave the slightest tilt on his head in acknowledgement.

"To answer your question, I am trying to end the magical war in Britain," Harry explained. "As you may have been told, the ICW was willing to help me because the Statute of Secrecy is being violated more and more and the British Ministry hasn't been able to stop the offenders. They fear that if the conflict continues for much longer there is a great risk that our world would be exposed more than it already has been. Our hope is, that instead of the Ministerial Death Penalty, we may do this to Britain if the experiment is successful. It will allow us to end the war almost instantly."

"What does _this_ do?" Ragnik asked patiently.

"I've found a way to temporarily remove all magic from an area," Harry said simply.

Ragnik took a sharp breath and a half-step back. "You can do that?"

"Easily over small areas," Harry answered. "This test is over an area larger than I or anyone can normally do, so we must see if the adaptation for large areas still works as well as it did originally on small areas. All of those little houses and cages down there contain what we think are one or two of almost every kind of magical creature in Britain, as well as some others for general knowledge. There are also structures with common warding schemes and various magical objects.

"So the goal is to remove the magic from the area and see what happens. I'm certain it will kill Voldemort, since he is now in reality a magical construct."

"How sure are you of this?"

"Very, I saw the ritual from which he gained his new body. As it was put together with magic, when the magic is removed, his body should cease to be as it falls apart. The question we have is what will the rest of Britain be like after we've done this? We don't expect the Muggles to be affected at all, while the Wizards will be in some way. Then there are the other sentients: Goblins, Centaurs, Merpeople, Elves, and so on. The theory is that every race falls somewhere on the scale of magic and depending on where you are on the scale is what will happen."

"This is more interesting than I expected," Ragnik said. "What do you expect to happen?"

"The general agreement is that one of three things will happen. First, no change or not enough change to matter. Second, loss of some magic and reduced functionality; this is what we expect for Wizards and Goblins. Third, complete loss of magic and probably death shortly after. One person has also theorized that there is a state between the second and third, where magic is all but lost yet most or all of it comes back after some time, but most of us don't think that's possible."

"What do you mean by reduced functionality?" Ragnik asked carefully.

"I don't know how to answer that for Goblins, but for wizards we think the shock of all their magic being removed will cause them to permanently lose most of their magic. They will keep enough to survive and do simple spells, but not enough to do the big spells any more. We'll know more after this test because every living being on the island will be checked carefully afterward and for the next couple of months."

"Then I'm glad I brought two goblins condemned to death, as requested. I shall be very interested to see the outcome, although I'm not happy this magic has been created." The Director looked quite concerned and agitated.

"I'm not overly happy either, Director, but I recognize the necessity. If this were to fall into the wrong hands, well, I really don't want to think about it," Harry finished seriously.

"Very true, yet I could see some useful applications for it, say to remove traps from around old tombs and such," Ragnik said thoughtfully as if thinking out loud.

"The goal is to apply this instead of the Ministerial Death Penalty. This will reduce the magical ability of the population enough that they won't be a serious threat, yet they will retain enough magic to live the magical life, although simply. Most importantly, beyond destroying Voldemort, this will disrupt the British Ministry of Magic since they will not be able to fight back when the ICW arrives. That will allow the Ministry to be reformed with either no or very minimal loss of life," Harry explained. "The new Ministry will hopefully not be controlled by the Pureblood minority but by a more balanced form of government.

"That will mean the Purebloods can't force their will on everyone else as they have in the past and there are also discussions on whether to require ICW personnel who live there to take oaths against being bribed to avoid that problem. The point is to truly start Wizarding Society over and make it better," Harry said with some hope.

"Mr Potter!" they heard a voice yell.

"If you'll excuse me, Director, I think it's time to start." Fleur gave him a hug and a whispered "good luck" before he left.

The director called his attendant over and spoke quietly in his ear before the assistant hurried away.

— — —

After a quick conference with Braun, Harry flew on his broom to the red flag in the middle of the island and secured his broom. Even though he'd been assured that all other staff was off the island, he still looked at the hill to make sure it was empty.

He pulled out a cord and wrapped it around the end of his wand before attaching it to his wrist. He then stared at the central marker at his feet. There was a part of him that didn't want to do this because if it worked, then he was opening the door to potentially horrible things. While he knew very little about what happened 50 or so years ago, he wondered if this is what the men who developed the atomic bomb felt like. He wanted this to stop the war with minimal loss of life and to make the world better, but he was also scared it could be used to destroy the Wizarding World.

To be absolutely sure about which way he'd be sent, he did a quick spell and found that the Ley Line of magic under him ran towards the ship, which would be why the ship was there, he mused. The marker was charged and ready to go; it just needed a large enough magical nudge to set it all off, which is why he was here - he was one of the few who had enough magical power, and it was his idea in the first place.

Taking a deep breath, he cast the final spell to start it off. For a full second it did nothing, causing him to wonder if he'd done it wrong. Then there was a blinding flash and he was jerked so hard he had trouble thinking for a second.

He was skimming along about twenty feet above the ground going about as fast as his Firebolt normally would. With his left hand, he grabbed his wand that was dangling at the end of the cord on his right wrist and put it back in his right hand. With great care and yet still trying to hurry, he pulled his shrunken broom back out of his pocket and enlarged it. This was a change from his early experimentation, something learned the hard way to make the landing at the end safer.

Mounting the broom, he directed it up and was able to gain height while still staying in the wave of magic that was pushing him along. Braun had told him the magic would leave from central marker as circular wave and would take him with it as it gathered up the magic. He was glad Braun was correct and he wasn't left behind to lose his magic.

As he passed over the edge of the island, he felt the magic wave stop and fling him before it would return to the island in a few minutes. He engaged his broom more actively and flew it to the ship, landing on the deck near Fleur and the goblins.

Fleur ran to him and engulfed him in a hug before kissing him soundly. «Are you all right?»

He could tell she was stressed because she'd lapsed back into her native French. Fortunately, he was reasonably good at French by now, at least for simple conversations.

"I'm fine, my Fleur," he told her. To prove it, he cast his Patronus and the stag galloped around them for a moment, causing many to stare at him and Fleur to hug him again.

"Congratulations, Mr Potter," the lead researcher said as he walked up.

"Thank you, Herr Braun. I'm very relieved to see your prediction of my being ejected from the area unharmed proved true."

"As am I," Braun said with a smile. "Now the hard part for us; we must make our assessment of what happened. Of course, the hard part for you will be waiting, although you're welcome to join us at the ICW research center after we transport the items there. We could use your help with evaluating the effect of this on them.

"You may also want to visit next week to see the vote," Braun encouraged him. "Supreme Mugwump Hutton has assured me that he has enough support for the general body to agree to take action against Britain. You can hear more details about it then."

"Thank you, Herr Braun; I look forward to it," Harry said.

He received congratulations from others present, although it was a short line as not many knew of this experiment.

As he was about to take Fleur home, Director Ragnik's aide caught his attention and asked him to see the Director, who was still under the covering and now reading a folder.

"May we talk business here?" Ragnik asked as they walked up.

"Of course, Director," Fleur said hastily since he was looking at her.

"Liaison Delacour, are you satisfied with you present employment arrangement with Gringotts West?"

Fleur blinked several times, completely surprised at the question and where it was going. "It is my job, Director, such as it is. I would prefer to be a Curse Breaker, although I'm not sure that will ever happen."

"If you stayed where you are now, that would be true because your current manager is an idiot for not using your skills wisely and he would probably be better used shoveling dragon dung," commented Ragnik with a little heat. "I can easily buy out your contract and you can come work for us if you wish." He looked questioningly at her.

"I have heard it is different in Gringotts East," she said tentatively.

Ragnik roared with laughter again. When he stopped he gave her a toothy smile. "Yes, my brother acts like he's got a spear up his … never mind."

"Would the terms be the same?" Fleur asked as if afraid to.

"Mostly for now," Ragnik agreed. "We can discuss new duties more aligned with your skills in the future, but for now you can continue being the Liaison to Mr Potter until this war is finished as I believe this will be good for all of us and for business. I will restore your full pay as an incentive to transfer to us. The bonus that was discussed for-"

"I fully agree to your terms, Director, and I don't need that bonus," Fleur interjected, cutting him off.

His eyes narrowed and he looked at her for a moment and then at Harry. After a moment he relaxed and nodded. "Very well, we have a deal. However, I do think a small bonus might be in order if you were to persuade your client to transfer his vaults to my bank, although your employment offer does not depend on it."

Fleur saw Harry looking at her strangely. "Harry, as he said, you don't have to move your vaults, but there could be an advantage to doing so. If you haven't been able to tell, Director Ragnik has made me a generous offer and I think it would be good for me and for you. It would solve your complaints against Gringotts West."

"I don't think I've complained about much other than the fees and how unfriendly they are at times," he said before realizing what came out of his mouth, causing him to hope he hadn't offended the goblin.

Ragnik wasn't offended and chuckled. "You make Liaison Delacour's point for her, Mr Potter. There are times in the past the Wizards have wronged us and we have wronged Wizards; but that is in the past and all of _them_, Wizards and Goblins, are dead. The wars were theirs, not ours. At Gringotts East, we understand that people have choices in banking and we try to be a good and friendly bank while still making our profits. I'm extremely happy to say that we make more profits than Gringotts West even with lower fees. In fact, I'll be happy to waive all transfer fees if you'll move your vaults to us and stay for at least five years. You'll also find that we have better interest rates too."

"Is it really that easy?" he asked looking at his friend.

"It is," she answered as she pulled out his Gringotts identity disk. She always took it when they left their island.

"All right," he answered, "let's do it."

"Ah, it will be wonderful doing business with you, Mr Potter; and to have you working for us, Liaison Delacour." Ragnik opened the folder in his hand and pulled out two sheets of parchment and a quill. "If you'll sign here, Liaison, indicating your agreement for your contract to be purchased by Gringotts East." After she did so, Ragnik held out a parchment for Harry. "Mr Potter, if you'll sign and press your identity disk to the circle." Harry did. "An excellent bit of work for the afternoon. I'll personally see this to the Paris branch this evening. If you'll come see us in Athens in a few days, I'll give you a new identity disk and you can tour your new vault.

"And Mr Potter, when you try to warn the others, if Ragnok ignores you, tell them that Ragnik will be happy to reunite Gringotts." The goblin had feral grin.

As the goblin entourage walked away, Harry looked at Fleur. "Were we too hasty in that?"

"I don't think so. He made both of us an extremely good offer. My only question is why he wanted to do that." Fleur considered that for a moment. "My experience has always been that any offers from the bank were always in their favor. I'm hoping that he thought he could get a good employee cheaply and use my skills better than Gringotts West would. As for your accounts, that's why he put the five year restriction on them, but I don't believe that will be a burden on you."

"That's good to know," he said, feeling a little better. "What was that about a bonus you gave up?"

Fleur looked at him for a moment and sighed. "That was an agreement I didn't care for that my old manager insisted upon when I complained about him reducing my salary. Fortunately," she smiled at him, "that bit of unfairness no longer matters." He nodded at her explanation.

"Mr Potter!"

Fleur's smile increased slightly at the interruption.

Harry looked up to see the lead researcher heading toward them again. "Herr Braun."

"I can give you a preliminary report since you are still here."

"Please," Harry said enthusiastically.

"Most of our predictions were correct. All but one of the wizards survived, but their magic level is currently just above the level of a squib. We even gave a wand to one, even though he was convicted for murder. He couldn't do much more than what a first year at school might do, even though he was once a powerful wizard. The exception to survival was the captured Death Eater. While he survived for a few minutes, he died soon after. Therefore, your prediction that the Dark Mark would not react well to this ward is proven.

"The goblins were much like the wizards; magically weaker according to their healer. The centaur and merman convicts also survived, although we think it was very close and they may still die if they don't regain strength soon. That says we must make arrangements to remove them before we do this for real. Unfortunately, the house-elf died; he was just too dependent on his magic, so they must be removed as well if they are to survive. We'll watch the wizards to see if they regain their magic, but I don't believe they will or else it will be very little."

"Thank you, that's good to know," Harry told him appreciatively.

"Most of the wards that contained power sequences are starting to power back up on their own. At least some of the magical items are no longer magical, depending on what runes they had or didn't have. There are more beings and things to check, but I'll have to tell you later. You should come visit us again in Berne next week and help; you too, Miss Delacour," Braun said with a smile.

"Thank you, Herr Braun. We'll arrange something," Fleur told him graciously. "I think it's time to go home, Harry."

He felt her hand that was around his waist drop until it was on his bum. He understood her message: that she was still in the last part of her Spring mating cycle and wanted some intimate time with him. "We'll be in touch, Herr Braun." He pulled out his Portkey and they returned to Black Island.

* * *

(Fri, Mar 14)

Harry handed the latest letter from Ginny to Fleur and sighed as he considered what he'd read.

A few minutes later, Fleur put the letter on the table and smirked at him. "I assume your troubles are not Ginny still wanting to thank you for her trunk of clothes in a very personal way?"

He blushed slightly and shook his head at her. "I still can't believe you can say that."

She shrugged with her own little smile. "Given the right circumstances I would be accepting of it. I very much do not want to take the potion to have a son unless there is no other way."

With another disbelieving look, he told her, "As interesting as her offer of thanks might be, no, I'm more concerned with her news about Dumbledore."

"Oh? Why? He's trying to end the war in a more active way now," she told him, motioning at the letter.

"That's the problem," he replied. "His stepping down as the acting Headmaster to run a group designed to capture Death Eaters may look good at first glance, as does the fact that he can coordinate it with information the Order of the Phoenix gathers, but in the end it won't be overly effective. This is classic Dumbledore," he ended with frustration.

"I don't understand. What would you have him do?" she queried in confusion.

"You read it," he pointed a finger angrily at the letter. "By only allowing the Aurors to stun the Death Eaters, they've already lost three people and only captured four Death Eaters. I'll agree with avoiding the Killing Curse, but Dumbledore needs to get it together and realize he's handicapping his team by not allowing them to use the more dangerous curses. If he doesn't change things, he's going to get them all killed."

Fleur frowned for a moment. "You have a good point. It will be even worse when the Death Eaters realize the worse they have to face is a Stunning spell."

"I would be surprised if they haven't already realized that." Harry shook his head again. "Well, not my problem, other than it says that the project we're working on with the ICW is still needed."

* * *

(Mon, Mar 24)

Albus walked into the Minister's office to attend an urgent meeting, or so he had been told. He had no idea what could be so urgent. Inside, he found Samuel Thorenson waiting and started to have concerns.

"Go ahead and seal the door, Dumbledore," Scrimgeour directed. When they were all settled, the Minister turned to the other man and said, "Go ahead, Thorenson, tell us what's so urgent."

Dumbledore noticed that the new ICW representative was sweating lightly and looked very distressed.

"The ICW has voted to take action," Thorenson all but shouted and then deflated now that the pent up energy had been spent.

While Scrimgeour scowled, Dumbledore calmly asked, "Can you be more specific about exactly was voted on?"

Thorenson nodded after a moment to gather himself. "It was very close, but they agreed to allow action to be taken against us if we didn't solve the problem with You-Know-Who in the next thirty days. They said he's again left our borders and been in Germany and Spain recently recruiting more help."

"They're not helping by pressuring us like this," the Minister commented.

"I strongly suspect they don't care about our feelings," Dumbledore replied. "They will normally debate things to death, but when they notice the Statute of Secrecy being broken and conflicts crossing borders, they suddenly become unified and very result oriented. It's part of what made leading them so difficult." He looked at Thorenson. "What were the specifics of the action? Did they mention the Ministerial Death Penalty?"

"Yes and no," the ICW representative answered. "The actual wording was very vague and I'm surprised they managed to pass it, but the wording was 'taking action up to and including the use of the Ministerial Death Penalty, if required, but only as a last resort'. They also gave the matter to a small select security council to take care of the details. I stayed all weekend trying to find out some of those details, but the one person who told me anything helpful said that the whole matter is very hush-hush, even to the point of vows of secrecy being used."

The minister harrumphed at that. "While I wish that would be enough to make the Wizengamot pass a few laws to help us, I fear that won't happen. Chief Warlock?"

Albus realized the usage of his title was purposeful and probably for Thorenson's sake. "You probably are correct. I would expect the Wizengamot to do nothing as a spiteful gesture to the ICW. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised at a call for withdrawal from the ICW."

"Would that help?" Scrimgeour asked.

"If we'd withdrawn five years ago, maybe." Dumbledore sighed. "However, in matters of conflicts crossing borders and exposure of our world, the ICW tends to get involved whether you're a member of the ICW or not. The matter of Grindelwald and The Second World War invokes strong emotions and actions in some countries, especially those on the European continent."

"He was brought up," Thorenson said.

"Ah, and that was how they found enough support for the resolution," Dumbledore explained. "Well, this will cause problems for us. Thirty days, you said?"

"Yes. Here's the text of it," the representative pulled out a folded document and handed it to the Minister.

"So we have thirty days until we get invaded?" Scrimgeour didn't look happy.

"No, we have longer, perhaps as much as six months," Dumbledore told him. "When they say thirty days, that's the waiting period until they start trying to take action. There will be a series of requests for action sent to us, each with a larger threat then the previous and each of those will also have a waiting period. It will also take time for them to gather forces from member countries. The ICW has only a small fulltime security force, maybe fifty at most. So there will be time for mustering help and we'll hear about that beforehand. We have some time to fix things on our own before they come; and if we do, then they won't come at all."

"That's mostly in your hands now, Dumbledore," Scrimgeour pointed out a little testily from his frustration.

Dumbledore didn't react and still sat there calmly. "We're working on it. Perhaps if you had the MLE send us a few more of the Aurors and Hit Wizards we could make more progress."

"We're stretched thin as it is trying to keep order and protect all of the important public places," the Minister shot back.

The Professor sat there for a long moment and let the silence get a little tense to see if the Minister would reconsider, but he didn't. "I can send out a few letters to see if I can gather more information on what they will do and when they will come, otherwise, we must do the best we can. Perhaps another letter to Voldemort is in order?" he suggested.

"I suppose it can't make it any worse and maybe it might actually help," Scrimgeour groused.

Dumbledore had to agree that he didn't think it would help much, but it was worth trying. He would tell the Order about this at their next meeting, but he didn't think they could do much either. He wondered if he should try sending another letter to Harry to come back and help, but that also didn't appear promising.

Voldemort was taking a slow but steady approach to taking over the Ministry and to terrorize key people into either following him or at least letting the madman have what he wanted without resistance. Dumbledore feared it would be a winning strategy for him and was running out of ideas to push the momentum back to their direction.

* * *

(Thu, May 29)

Harry and Fleur were in Britain scouting and planning. He had been given two tasks and he was glad not to have to deal with the Merpeople. He really had no desire to return to their domain. Holding Fleur's hand, he Apparated them both to near the Shrieking Shack before he led her a short way into the woods to take care of the first one.

"Dobby!" he called.

It took a few seconds, but Dobby popped in with a surprised look. "The great Harry Potter calls for Dobby!"

Harry grinned, but he also shushed him. "We need to be quiet my friend."

"Friend? Harry Potter is calling Dobby his friend. Harry Potter truly is a great wizard, the bestest wizard!" the elf all but wailed as he hugged Harry's leg.

Harry gave Fleur an embarrassed look and she returned a very amused one. "Dobby, I have a few questions for you. First, would you be willing to do a few things for me and keep them absolutely secret?"

Dobby jumped back and his big flappy ears suddenly fell as he gave Harry a horrified and indignant look. "Never! Dobby would never betray Harry Potter sirs' secrets, no, Dobby is a good elf, Dobby is!" He gave a firm nod at the end.

Harry looked at Fleur for guidance but she just shrugged at him.

"Err," he began "I have some questions for you Dobby, and something I need your help with."

"Harry Potter sir is asking Dobby for help, Dobby promises to help Harry Potter sir." He said, loudly, and started jumping up and down causing his ears to flap again.

"My first question is about the elf community. Is there some way you can get into contact with the other elves in the country? This is very important Dobby," he stressed the last bit hoping to get the overactive elf listen carefully.

"Dobby thinks he knows a way, but he is not sure if they will listen to Dobby. They thinks Dobby is a bad elf for wanting to be free, for wanting to be paid."

"Well, that will make things a little harder." Harry knelt down on one knee to look the elf in the eyes more easily. "Dobby, I'm going to be returning here very soon, but it will be a terrible time. We are trying to save many people, but it will be hard. If you contacted every elf in Britain and told them they needed to leave home for one hour and not to tell their master, would they believe you and do it?"

Dobby immediately grabbed his ears and started to tug on them.

"No punishing yourself," Harry said as he gently took the elf's hands in his and pulled them down to his side. "It's a simple question. Would the elves save themselves or would they try to stay here with their masters even if it meant their death?"

The elf hung his head. "Most would not go. They would not believe Dobby or they would tell their masters. Dobby thinks only Hogwarts elves would go."

Harry sighed, this was not working out like he wanted it to. "Dobby, is there a magical oath or secrecy among elves? Could you make them keep the secret if you told them and they didn't want to go?"

The elf looked a little happier. "Yes, Harry Potter, there is elf secrets. Dobby will force that. If Dobby makes them swear, they can not tell anyone not even their master or they go to sleep forever if they try."

Looking up at Fleur, he mouthed, "Dead?" She nodded.

"Dobby, if you had to talk to every elf in Britain and make them swear the oath and then tell them that they need to go somewhere or die, how long would it take you?" Harry was very curious about this, especially when the elf smiled.

"Oh, Dobby not knows, Dobby will start now and will not sleep until Dobby has told every elf!" he said enthusiastically.

"Dobby," Harry sighed "You don't have to do that, you should get some sleep as well." At that Dobby looked as if he was about to cry and give another tear-felt exclamation of how good a wizard Harry was, but Harry was quick to shush him quiet.

"All right, Dobby, be sure to contact me when you have done so. We need to be able to get all the elves to leave at a moment's notice. Wait, is it possible to give them some sort of signal, that every elf will notice?"

Dobby started wringing his hands and pulling his ear "Dobby is not sure. Dobby could ask the Hogwarts elfs for help?" he asked.

Harry pondered that for a moment. Was it risky? Probably not if they had given their vow of secrecy. In the end he gave the elf a resigned nod.

"I'll let you do that when we're ready, for now make sure they understand the plan. How are things at the school? Are the students in any danger?" Part of Harry didn't want to know, but he really had to for his four friends there.

"No, old Headmaster and his Aurors keep the place safe," the elf answered. "Old master's son doesn't like that as he can't sneak around the castle as much."

"That's really good," Harry said with a smile, glad he didn't have to worry too much there and amused at Malfoy's problem. "Here's what I want you to do while I'm gone. When you're at the school, try to make sure Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Katie are safe; they should be but a little extra help never hurts. Then when you have done all that you come contact me. Maybe we can work something out about you working for me instead. I need to have Potter Manor cleaned and prepared for me to move in."

"Harry Potter wants Dobby as his elf? But Dobby not a normal elf, Dobby is a free elf." He squinted his eyes at Harry. "Dobby will do's it but Dobby will be payed one Knut a week!"

Harry, oblivious to the machinations of haggling, readily agreed to the price and soon enough found himself with another elf in his service.

"Dobby will be doing what Master Harry Potter sir is asking. Dobby will do his very best!"

"Very good. Now go do what you need to and remember that everything we've talked about is secret. The fact that you are now my elf is also secret until after I return," Harry stressed, "all right?"

"Dobby understand and will obey." With a pop, the elf disappeared.

As he stood, he saw Fleur looking at him thoughtfully. "What?"

"You have unusual friends. Dobby's not just an elf to you, is he?"

"No, you're right. As I said, he's a friend," Harry admitted. "Shall we visit the Centaurs now? Perhaps if we're lucky they will have seen a sign about this and agree to talk to us. Keep your wand hidden but also be ready to use it for self-defense at any time."

He slowly led her into the Forbidden Forest being very careful and aware of what was around him.

— — —

While Harry was in Britain unbeknownst to Albus Dumbledore and the rest of the British Wizards, Dumbledore was meeting with two others about his special project.

In the private room for the project, Dumbledore poured himself some tea as he listened to the latest report from his two friends.

"So in summary," Moody told him, "we have the diary that Potter found and this ring from the Gaunt house, that's two down. The locket we have is a fake and we suspect it's in the Black house that we can't get into. We have a suspicion that if Voldemort gave one to Malfoy, that there's a good chance he gave another to someone else, and we think that likely to be Bellatrix Lestrange, but until we capture her, we don't know for sure, and it's far more likely we'll have to kill her than we'll be able to capture her. Weasley thinks there's probably one here at Hogwarts, but I'm not sure about that and we have looked and couldn't fine one. Lastly, you think Voldemort's snake is one, but that's going to be next to impossible to get to unless you kill Riddle first, but you want Riddle killed last.

"If you have any suggestions for us, we'd appreciate it because we're stumped, and I don't mean my leg. And don't bother to tell us that you think that Potter boy could do it because you wanted him to. Weasley has been a great help and I know Potter's not as good as him," Moody finished.

Dumbledore calmly looked at Bill Weasley and could see that he was in full agreement. "Hmm, this seems to be more difficult than I'd assumed."

Weasley snorted and Moody swore about Dumbledore's lack of intelligence, which the professor ignored.

"Very well," Dumbledore intoned after a long moment of thinking. "I shall direct the Hit Wizard team to try to capture Bellatrix, perhaps we can even create an ambush specifically for her. In the meantime, I'd suggest you search Hogwarts again because I agree it would be a likely place for Voldemort to hide one. I might also suggest you ask the ghosts, although you might be more successful if you ask about Tom Riddle hiding things here.

"As for the rest, we shall have to bide our time…" When the other two started to protest, Dumbledore stopped them with a raised hand. "However, I will send a note to Harry and ask him if we can search the Black house, or if perhaps he might allow a neutral party to search it for us. Hmm, I shall have to consider how to approach him." He looked at Bill. "Will you draw a picture of the locket based on the Pensieve memory?"

"Certainly, Professor," although Bill looked uneasy. "Do you plan to tell him why you want it?"

"No, I don't think I need to, just that it's an object that Voldemort once had and that we need to study it should be enough. Thank you, gentlemen; carry on…"

As Dumbledore left, Moody and Weasley looked at each other for a moment.

"I was hoping for more," Bill said.

"Aye, me as well, but he did have give us something to do and we have eliminated a few Death Eaters along the way," Alastor said with a grin.

— — —

Dumbledore left his meeting at Hogwarts to travel to his next meeting with the Minister. This time, it was just the two of them.

The Minister tossed a document on his desk in front of Dumbledore. "They aren't behaving like you predicted. This request says to end the war now or they will."

Dumbledore took a moment to skim through the document, somewhat surprised by its brevity. It was as the Minister had said. "I find it curious that they don't say how they plan to enforce this."

"Does it really matter how?" Scrimgeour shot back.

"I suppose not, but this is very unusual for them," Dumbledore commented. "I oversaw a threat like this to Magical Vietnam when I was Supreme Mugwump. It was done differently, but then again, we were asking them to not get involved in a Muggle war and they quickly complied."

Scrimgeour looked concerned at that. "Have you heard anything back from your contacts?"

"No, they don't seem to know anything, which I take to mean that the call to muster forces has yet to go out," Dumbledore replied. "That will probably take a month by itself as there will be much debate as to how many Hit Wizards each country will have to send. We still have time to end this ourselves, Rufus."

* * *

(Thu, Jun 19)

Harry and Fleur awoke in the ancestral Potter Manor for the first time that morning. It wasn't nearly as big as Harry had expected it to be, but it was still larger than an average normal house. He still wasn't sure why his parents hadn't hidden here during the war, despite Fleur pointing out that they probably couldn't hide it because it was too well known. The more people that knew something the harder it was to hide that something with a Fidelius Charm, she had told him.

Fortunately, it was reasonably clean thanks to Dobby, who met them at the door when they had arrived very weary last night. Dobby had looked very happy to see them. He had contacted Harry two weeks previous to inform him that he had been successful in the first part of the plan. Evidently he had worked very hard to show he was dedicated and worthy of being Harry's elf. To impress the two, Dobby also had a hot meal waiting for them thanks to Fleur remembering to have Harry tell the elf that morning.

They had spent the entire day with a small team going around the country and placing the Runic markers at the required places. Several of them had required his Invisibility cloak, especially the one that had been almost in the center of a football stadium. Thankfully, they had buried that one very early in the morning when no one was there.

They had even put an extension on the shape around the British Isle to include Azkaban Island. It was the belief of this entire team that this would destroy the Dementors as well, or any that were left there. There were reports of a few small Muggle villages being destroyed by some unknown disease that turned everyone in the town into barely living husks. It was not hard for the ICW to know that meant all the Dementors were not at Azkaban.

"How do you feel?" Harry asked her over the breakfast table.

"Like death warmed over," she sighed, "and you must be worse because you did more of the work," Fleur told him.

"I'm not sure," he told her as he loaded his plate a second time, although with smaller portions. "I let the other guys do a lot of mine and mostly took the ones that required my Invisibility Cloak, which was still a surprisingly large number. Still, we have all day to rest."

"I wished," she gently corrected him. "Have you forgotten the goblins?"

"Yeah, I kind of had," he admitted sheepishly. "I mean, the group made arrangements for all the younger Muggleborns to leave the country for the weekend because they 'won' a holiday trip, all of the squibs in the ICW's army are coming in to guard the magical places like Diagon Alley for the short time those places will be visible, we know from a spy at the Ministry who knows a Death Eater that Voldemort likes to hang out at Malfoy Manor and he should be around this weekend, and I've been training like a bloody maniac with my assault team this week. I think that entitles me to forget one thing," he teased her.

Fleur lightly chuckled. "Fine, one thing. But you better not forget Fleur time today. You've been far too busy this week."

"In that case," Harry grinned, "I'll see about finding some time to rip your clothes off and throw you into bed."

A laugh escaped Fleur, but she replied in a sultry tone, "That has possibilities. Finish up and come get dressed. The sooner we talk with the goblins the sooner we can have 'make Fleur happy time so she can make Harry happy'."

"Of course, my lady," he said gallantly, looking forward to her idea probably as much as she was.

Fleur paused only long enough to write a short note and send it away with Dobby after she was dressed.

— — —

An hour later, they were standing in Gringotts bank in London in full disguise and Fleur was showing her badge to the supervising goblin. "I need to speak with Ragnok, Snortroc, or one of the other managers. It is extremely important."

The goblin looked back at her with derision. "You are no longer an employee of this bank and have no right to any employees here," he said firmly.

Fleur dropped her voice to a whisper. "Even if my information would prevent the destruction of this bank?"

The supervisor looked at her with disbelief and did not lower his voice, but raised it slightly. "I don't care what information you have for us. If you believe it important, go tell your own manager."

When Fleur started to protest, Harry stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Don't bother. If he doesn't care what happens to everyone here, that's not our problem because we tried. It looks like Ragnik will get his chance unify Gringotts after all."

With a low growl, the goblin bared his teeth menacingly and pointed at the door. "Go. Now."

There was a small goblin that looked slightly familiar behind the supervisor, probably there in anticipation of escorting them to their vaults. He had a slightly horrified look on his face, but was completely silent. Harry could understand because the supervisor looked very upset. Their effort to do the right thing complete, despite failing to achieve the goal, he led Fleur for the doors.

As they reached the steps outside, Harry felt a tug on his cloak. Wondering what was going on, he turned to find that same small goblin motioning to him to come to the side, out of sight of the main door. With a perplexed look to Fleur, who had the same expression, he led her over to the small goblin, out of sight from the lobby.

"Did you really mean what you said about information that would unify Gringotts?"

"You are who?" Harry asked.

"I'm Griphook. I took you to your vault on your first visit here when you were much younger."

Harry studied him for a moment. "The name does sound familiar and you look slightly familiar too."

He considered what to do for a moment more. He did want to try to save the goblins because this war wasn't their fault, but they were such bloody bastards most of the time. The two times he'd visited Gringotts in Athens had been like going to a Muggle bank. The goblins in Athens hadn't been perfectly friendly, but they made a very good attempt to be courteous which was a very welcome change from his past experiences with Gringotts in London – in fact, it had been practically pleasant in Athens.

"Griphook," Harry said finally, "I mean no offense, but I don't believe you're a manager, so what can you do to help us get a message to Ragnok, because he's the only one who can save the bank from destruction. And yes, I did mean what I said about Ragnik."

The goblin looked fretful for a moment and wrung his hands. "Uncle Ragnik is considered strange but honorable. He's also considered to be quite ruthless and makes much profit, despite what Uncle Ragnok says against him."

"So you're family and can talk to him?" Fleur asked.

"Yes, and possibly." Griphook looked at them a moment more. "Can you change the color of your cloaks so you're not as obviously the couple who just left?"

"Of course," Fleur told him and then changed both cloaks from black to a medium blue.

Griphook took a key out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Wait one minute and come inside and ask a different teller to be taken to that vault. I will do the best I can."

They waited as Griphook went back into the bank. A minute later they returned as well and went to a different teller presenting the key when requested. As planned, it was Griphook that was available to take them down into the vault area. Instead, he detoured and took them to a small conference room. "Wait here," he said and left.

After fifteen minutes, Harry looked at Fleur. "Do you think he's ever coming back? Or will he be back with guards?"

"I doubt the second because they would have already come if that was his plan," she assured him. "No, he's having trouble getting Ragnok's attention. If he's not here in another fifteen minutes, we should leave."

It only took five more minutes before a panicked looking Griphook returned. "Your information had better be very good or we may all perish."

"I fully believe our information is that good. The only question I have is if Ragnok will believe us," Fleur said with a hint of concern.

"Then come quickly," Griphook said as he started down the corridor almost in a jog for a goblin, forcing Harry and Fleur to walk hurriedly. "Get straight to the point and do not waste his time," he said over his shoulder as he steered them through a maze of twisty passages all alike.

A few minutes later, they were in front of a set of ornate double doors with two guards outside. Griphook stopped and tugged on his uniform to straighten it as he looked at the visitors. "Are you ready?"

Harry looked at Fleur. "You or me?"

"I think me," she told him, "but be ready to take over."

At her nod, Griphook opened a door and led them through. "Director, I present Harry Potter and Fleur Delacour with vital information for your ears."

Harry studied the goblin as they walked in. It was obvious that Ragnok and Ragnik were brothers despite that Ragnok looked a little heavier and older.

"What do you want?" Ragnok snarled with an implied "it had better be good".

When Harry saw the goblin was looking mostly at him, he tapped his hand that was at his side against Fleur's leg. With a bow, he said, "Director Ragnok, I bring vital news from the ICW which could save Gringotts in London. I mean no offense, but the nature of the news requires a promise of secrecy before I can give it to you."

"Why should I do that, wizard?!" Ragnok leaned forward, putting his hand very close to a knife that was on his desk.

"You don't have to," Harry said much more calmly than he felt. "But if you don't, then this branch of Gringotts will be destroyed. When I spoke with Ragnik recently, he said that he hoped you ignored our message as then he could unify Gringotts. So if you really don't care, tell me and we'll leave immediately. If you do care, then I need an oath of secrecy, just as Ragnik gave."

Harry tried to will himself not to sweat as he watched Ragnok consider his statement.

A long moment later, Ragnok growled very unhappily and picked his dagger up only to slam it back on his desk loudly, which made Fleur jump. "I swear that I will keep what you tell me secret. Explain!"

Harry looked at Griphook. "I'm sorry, but you must swear too since you'll hear this."

Griphook quickly swore without hesitation.

"Director, the ICW is not pleased with how this war in the Wizarding World has been handled and they are about to step in," Harry said and noted that the head goblin still hadn't relaxed. "When they do so, they will end the war in a very dramatic way that will also affect all goblins in Britain. When they come, any goblin that is still here will lose almost all of their magic. In fact, they will only retain enough magic to keep them alive, or so our experiment showed on two condemned prisoners Ragnik provided."

That piece of information shocked Ragnok enough to stop toying with the dagger and lean back heavily in his chair.

"I will also say that this plan will only work if there is absolute surprise, hence the secrecy oaths. Those oaths must be made before you tell anyone, and we'd prefer that to be no one not here now." Harry took a deep breath and noticed that Griphook looked as shocked as Ragnok.

"We have a very short list of people that we plan to notify just before it starts so they can flee to safety. We can include you on that list if you like. That would give you about ten minutes. Can you evacuate all the goblins from Britain in ten minutes?" Harry asked, hoping for a positive answer.

Ragnok sat up straight and looked at him hard. "Why should I believe you? That kind of magic doesn't exist."

"Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist," Harry replied. "I can't see the air I breathe, but I know it's there."

Ragnok growled and Fleur tapped Harry's leg.

"Director Ragnok, I am a former employee here before Ragnik bought out my contract. My record here was _spotless_," she told him proudly. "Therefore, please believe me when I say that Harry Potter is telling you the truth. I know that you and your brother do not get along. But please listen to what we say and then ask Ragnik. He has seen the magic and I believe it scared him."

The goblin had started to bare his teeth, but her last statement stopped him. "Ragnik has never been scared of anything."

"Well, when we explained what we were doing, he said he was very unhappy the magic had been created. Then once the experiment had been done and we could see that it had worked, he said something in your language that I didn't totally understand, other than the word that I _think_ translates to 'loss', and his aide dropped to his knees in shock," she explained.

Ragnok focused on her for a moment. "Did he say…" and he rattled off something in Gobbledegook.

"I'm not entirely certain, but if that wasn't it, then that was very close," Fleur answered.

Without warning, Ragnok picked up his dagger again and threw it hard, embedding it in the side wall that already had deep gouges in it before saying something in his language that caused Griphook to pale.

"That was a phrase he used often when he was surprised and frustrated at the world when we were much younger. He was not scared, Liaison Delacour," Ragnok said normally for the first time in the meeting as he leaned back in his chair and much of the anger in him melted away. "I believe you would say he was appalled, although I can understand how you might confuse that and scared since you aren't a goblin." With a sigh, he asked, "What was your question again, Mr Potter?"

Harry had to think about it. "Oh, can you evacuate all the goblins in Britain in ten minutes?"

Ragnok snorted, although it seemed to be in amusement now. "That's not possible. It would take an hour at least. We might be able to do it in fifteen minutes if we had a month's notice. How long do we have?"

"Nowhere near that long, although a firm date hasn't been set yet," Harry answered. "What if you moved everyone who wasn't needed to run the bank right now? Would that reduce the numbers enough?"

"Hmm, an interesting idea but questions you don't want asked will be," Ragnok told them.

"Tell them a spy told you Voldemort might attack the bank soon and you're trying to prevent needless casualties," Harry suggested.

"That has possibilities," Ragnok admitted. "We could probably get the remaining employees out in ten minutes with some hard work."

"You have the rest of today and probably tomorrow. After that, it could come at any time," Harry informed him. "It's also possible that we may have to abort the attack after we give you the ten minute warning if we find at the last minute that conditions aren't right. We will, of course, try very hard to avoid that. One last thing, Director, I've heard rumors that you have dragons here and Ragnik wouldn't confirm or deny. If those rumors are true, you should consider taking them with you or they will die."

Ragnok looked as if he was about to complain but then thought better of it.

"A request from me, if I may?" Fleur asked.

"You may ask."

"Director, if at all possible please take Curse Breaker William Weasley with you. I don't know if he will be working during the time this happens, but he has been a friend of mine and I'd like to see him safe," she told him.

"That probably depends on how lucky his schedule is," Ragnok said. "You bring up a good point that we have more employees than only goblins. Wizards will be affected too?"

"Yes they will. If I may be so bold, are any of them Death Eaters?" Harry asked.

Ragnok laughed at him much like Ragnik had. "No," he said very pointedly and with supreme confidence.

"Then do as you think best with them. I think the bulk of our business is concluded," Harry said looking at Fleur who nodded. "If I send a house-elf here with a message, could he come directly to you?"

"No, but Griphook will be in the main lobby as needed and he can hit the alarm, although Mthulood help him if he sounds it falsely," Ragnok said firmly with a stare that promised much pain and Griphook nodded in a manner reminiscent of Dobby.

Harry assumed the name used was some goblin deity, as strange as it was. "Griphook, I can tell you that the invasion is planned for a weekend evening. Also, the elf who brings the message to you will be named Dobby and he will identify himself by name and as my elf. Director," Harry finished with a bow, which Fleur did as well. Griphook led them back to the lobby.

Back at Potter Manor, Fleur looked at Harry. "I can't believe you said some of those things to him. I thought he was going to use that knife on you."

"Why not? We saw that Ragnik seemed to prefer bluntness and Griphook clued us in as well. Plus he was looking at me so I sort of went with it," he told her as he pealed off his shirt that was completely wet on the back.

"That's behind us now. We have the rest of the day and tomorrow to … rest," she ended with a grin as she pulled her sweaty blouse off to reveal a very lacy bra.

"I suppose we should take a shower before 'Fleur time'," he teased her.

"No, we start 'Fleur time' with the shower," she said firmly as she dropped her skirt to reveal tiny knickers.

* * *

(Fri, Jun 20)

Ginny took her broom downstairs and did her best to casually walk out of the castle as if she was going to the Quidditch pitch to fly during her lunch. However, she had no intention of taking a break for the sake of lunch. She had finished her last OWL this morning and so had this afternoon free.

She couldn't put her finger on just why she felt an urgency about this, but she did. After a few moments, she decided that the way she found the letter was most of the reason. The last bit was the note saying "soon".

As soon as she was out of sight of the castle, she charmed her hair black, mounted her broom, and flew quickly to Hogsmeade. Trying to be inconspicuous, she went during lunch and in plain robes without her school markings. Walking quickly to the fireplace in the Three Broomsticks, she used the public Floo, telling it, "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes" quietly and grateful that her brothers had given her access.

Walking out of the fireplace, she saw Fred look up from writing in a journal. "Ginny? What are you doing here now?" He looked very shocked to see her. "And you look weird with black hair."

"We've got an emergency. Get George quickly. Is Lee here to watch the store?" she asked tersely as she canceled the coloring charm on her hair.

"Err, yeah, hold on." He dropped his quill and left to get his brother. He was back a half minute later.

"Ginny! What a surprise!" George said gregariously.

"No time for fun. Silence the room for privacy quickly. This is really important and I have to return as soon as I can," she told them with a scowl to convey her seriousness.

"Sure, Ginny," George said dropping his usual fun manner as he pulled out his wand and did the spell work.

"What's this about?" Fred asked.

"This is about Harry," she told them solemnly. At their raised eyebrows, she said, "I know you've been in contact with them too because Fleur told me to tell you this message as soon as possible."

"I wonder why he didn't tell us himself?" George wondered a bit distractedly.

"I think because she and Harry wanted us to talk," Ginny told him. "I found the message from her on my bed last night, so I think the only way they could have done that is with the help of a house-elf. That tells me he's already returned to Britain at least once and is about to do something."

"Possibly," Fred agreed. "He had that one that really liked him, umm…"

"Dobby," George supplied at his twin's lack of memory.

"I think I've seen him around the school a few times in the last month too. It's like he's keeping an eye on me," Ginny told them with a slight frown.

"Ooh, you have your own stalker!" George laughed and Fred joined him.

"Whatever," Ginny said waving it away, "the letter said that something big was coming soon and to either be at Hogwarts or have a way out of Britain. We'll have ten minutes notice and no more before dire things happen."

The twins looked at each other with a touch of alarm.

"An International Portkey."

"We'll need some for the girls too."

"France?"

"That or Ireland. I wonder which is easier to get?"

They looked back at her. "Did he say when, other than soon?"

"No, but I wouldn't wait. Get it this afternoon. This letter came while it was my turn to write, making it completely unexpected." She shook her head. "Because he said Hogwarts was a valid place to be, I'm thinking it'll be before the end of school and we've only about a week left."

"Interesting," Fred said with a nod. "I'll go to the Ministry and get it this afternoon, as well as Portkeys to the shop for the girls, and Lee of course."

"Right," George agreed. "We can give them to the girls tonight and set up a signal."

"The letter was also very, very clear on absolute secrecy. No one is to know. I was only allowed to tell you two in private," she impressed upon them, "and I still can't figure out what's going to happen."

"Right," she received in stereo.

"One more thing before I go." Ginny pulled a letter out of her pocket and gave it to George.

Fred looked over his brother's shoulder and read too, apparently faster because he suddenly exclaimed, "Are you effing serious?"

"Yeah, you want your guardianship to be transferred to Fleur Delacour? Why?" George asked.

"I don't know that I'll use that, but I want it anyway in case I need to leave." At their glare, she decided she needed to give them a little more. "I don't know what's going to happen, but Fleur and I have been in contact too and she's convinced me that I may be happier if I'm not here after this happens. I don't know that I'll do it, but I want the option."

"I think you're daft, but how in the bloody hell do you expect us to get this signed?" Fred asked her, only a little more curious than angry.

"Take it to dad at work and tell him it's a note that I need for school tomorrow that I forgot to send and you happened to see me in Hogsmeade and I gave it to you. Put a Confundus on it so he doesn't realize what he's signing," she told them boldly, much more than she actually felt.

George looked at his brother. "And I thought we were the wild ones."

"We are since we'll be the one tricking our father," Fred told him.

"Point," George agreed before he looked at Ginny. "We'll do it when we get the Portkey on one condition. We change it to us instead of Fleur. We'll let you go with Fleur and Harry if you want, but I'd feel better if you were beholden to family."

"Yes, excellent, dear brother. Perhaps we should add a condition to test a few of our products as well?" Fred threw out.

"Only if you want Harry to come here and kick your arse," Ginny told them sweetly. "Otherwise, I'll agree to the change to you."

"Don't want to offend the partner," Fred said hastily.

"Agreed then," George said as he pulled out his wand and erased Fleur's name and inked in his and his brother's name before showing it to Ginny.

"Don't dally," she told them as she charmed her hair back to black and then grabbed her broom.

"You look so weird like that," George commented.

Ginny laughed at each of them saying the same thing separately. "Later you two."

She took the Floo back to the Three Broomsticks, which was not nearly as crowded now as lunch was ending. Trying to shield her face, she hurried outside and flew back to the school. She arrived only a few minutes before that class period was to let out.

As she canceled the coloring charm on her hair, she saw Professor McGonagall walk out of the front door and she didn't look happy.

"Miss Weasley," McGonagall said as she walked up to her student. "Would you like to explain why you left the school grounds without permission?" She looked pointedly at the broom in Ginny's hand.

As Ginny tried to quickly figure out what story to spin, McGonagall added, "I saw you flying back from Hogsmeade in a partial disguise, including being out of your school uniform."

Ginny realized no story would hold water now, so a version of the truth it was. "Professor, I had an urgent family matter to take care of. I'm sorry I had to do this now, but I felt it couldn't wait."

McGonagall looked disturbed at that and seemed to be biting her tongue. "What would your parents say if I asked them about this? Would they back your story?"

"My father would be disappointed and my mother would yell at me and punish me, but they couldn't tell you anything as the urgent matter was with other adult family than my parents," she said looking her teacher confidently in the eye.

A hand raised to her chest as if to help her breathe, McGonagall's eyes narrowed. "Why would you need to speak with your twin brothers?"

"I'm sorry, Professor, but that is a family matter between us and I'm under a promise of secrecy. If it will help you," Ginny said, hoping it helped her, "I can say that it had nothing to do with pranks and was truly a matter of family."

McGonagall looked at her for a moment, judging her. After a long moment, she finally said, "I will not ask you to divulge a family matter, but I do believe punishment is in order for leaving school grounds without permission. You will serve five detentions of three hours each with me, starting tonight after dinner. I don't believe that will be too difficult since you've finished your last OWL this morning."

Ginny nodded, not overly surprised she'd been caught or punished, no matter how much she'd hoped otherwise.

A bell rang in the background signaling the end of that class period. "As I have a class soon, I shall see you tonight, Miss Weasley." McGonagall turned and left at a fast walk.

* * *

(A/N: This chapter was beta'd by AlekTas. Any remaining errors are mine from last minute edits. Alek also rewrote most of the scene with bringing Dobby onboard, so kudos to him for that. Lastly, any analogies in regards to World War II that you wish to infer were probably intended.)


	10. The End of Normal

(A/N: We're heading towards the big finish. :)

* * *

**Chapter 10 - The End of Normal**

(Sat, Jun 21)

The next morning, an owl landed in front of a Ginny with a letter. Opening it, she saw her guardianship form signed. A quick check showed no charms on it. There was also a very short note saying, "We're ready for a holiday" - just that single statement.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked and Ron looked at her just as curiously.

"It's a letter from the twins so I'm trying to be safe now rather than sorry later," she lied as she put her wand and the parchments away.

Ron nodded in understanding and Hermione returned to her notes, revising for her last couple of tests for sixth year on Monday.

— — —

At noon, Harry hugged and kissed Fleur as they stood on the deck of the large ship again. It was the same one they'd used in Greece for the testing. Officially, it was a small merchant ship delivering archeological artifacts to a university, or so the British naval authorities thought.

"Be safe my love," Fleur told him, holding him tightly.

"Don't worry, I'll come back to you," he told her, mustering as much confidence as he could. "We have all trained very hard for this; you know that."

"That won't stop me worrying about you. You will be fighting that monster and I will not be there to help. I know we trained hard, but what if something we didn't think about happened? I just wish there was some other way," she reminded him.

"You know it must be only me to draw him out." He kissed her gently.

"I know, but I don't like it." She smiled ever so slightly for the first time in the conversation. "You must come back because I have a Stamina potion for you tonight and I promise to wear you out even with that."

Harry chuckled at her bribe and kissed her hard. "That is motivation to make me come back as soon as I can."

"You better." She kissed him hard one last time before finally loosening her grip. "I love you."

"I love you more," he told her gently as he stepped back and blew her a kiss. "Captain, are you ready?" he called out as he turned from her and saw the rest of his group standing there and grinning at him.

"Waiting on you, Sir," Captain Hammerstein told him in a friendly manner. "In fact, if you need a moment more, I'm sure the boys won't mind. We have a pleasant view of the water and coastline to look at while we wait."

Harry had no doubt what the smiling men didn't mind looking at despite the man's wave towards the barely visible coast. "I'm afraid your _view_ has other things to do, as do we." He pulled out a rope and held it out to the five Squibs: a captain, two sergeants, and two corporals, all from various armies that helped the ICW when requested.

"Good luck, Herr Potter!"

Harry nodded at the head researcher as he picked up the backpack he had to carry. "Thank you, Herr Braun. I'll see you this evening and hopefully because we're done and not because we have to reschedule."

"I hope so too." Braun nodded and left.

Looking at Fleur one last time as she watched him while obviously trying to hold her emotions in, he pulled out his wand and activated the Portkey. A few seconds later, they landed in a forest. One of the corporals pulled out a compass and looked at it for a moment before he started leading the group of six, all dressed in camouflage gear. Each had something on his back to carry for the mission.

The two mile walk lasted almost an hour. The forest wasn't overly thick, but it was slower walking than a stroll down a road. The lead stopped them when they reached the pre-selected position that had been scouted the day before. They were barely on the backside of a small hill that allowed them to see where the action would take place soon.

While Harry helped the captain set up their little site to be more comfortable, the other four, in two teams, one sergeant and one corporal for each team, found a good tree and made a little nest in each before coming back down. Harry had been careful not to use any magic the entire time.

"Sir," the Captain said to him, "before we rest during our wait, the boys and I thought you should have this little gift."

Harry took the little pin with a brass circle and what looked like an engraved little crown on it. "What is it?"

The Captain picked it back up out of his hand now that Harry had seen it and moved to pin it to his shirt. "This is a little something I picked up from a shop. It's not real; but well, we wanted you to know that we've liked working with you over the last two weeks during our training and we've decided to make you an honorary Third Lieutenant."

"I've never heard of a Third Lieutenant," Harry said as he looked down at the insignia on his shirt now.

"That's because it's only honorary," the Captain replied with a grin. "Get a good rest, Lieutenant, we want you to be at the top of your game this evening. Don't worry, the corporals and I will hold down the fort while you three rest." He patted the pistol on his hip.

Harry looked at each and very seriously said, "Thank you. It's been my honor and pleasure to serve with you. If we had drinks, I'd make a toast to you."

"You're welcome to buy them for us when we get back," one of the sergeants quipped, causing the others to laugh quietly and say, "Hear, hear!"

"Right, when we're done, the drinks are on me tomorrow," Harry told them, causing a quiet cheer.

The moment of levity over, Harry and the two sergeants walked over to the camouflaged tarp tied a yard off the ground between some trees to lie down to rest as best they could until needed.

— — —

Harry was surprised to be woken up, considering how much trouble he'd had going to sleep.

"It's time, sir," the captain told him. "I believe you also promised a hot meal?"

"Thanks and I did," Harry said as he saw the two sergeants waking up as well. "Dobby?" he called softly.

With a pop, the house-elf popped in with a picnic basket that was almost as large as he was. "Dobby is here for Master Harry."

"Thank you for the food, Dobby." Harry took the large basket and set it down. Looking very carefully at the elf, he asked, "Are you still sure you can do this and not get caught?"

"Dobby is very sure," the elf said confidently with his ears flapping slightly as he nodded.

"Very well, go on and report back here as soon as you can. Remember, your safety and secrecy is more important than getting the information," Harry commanded him.

"Dobby will be very careful and secret." With a quiet pop, the elf left.

One of the men handed Harry a plate of food that had been in the basket. "This is just like visiting my grandparents. I always find it amusing to see food just appear on the table, good too," he said, raising a chicken leg as a toast.

Halfway through their quick meal, Dobby returned. "Bad man is there and they is eating," the elf reported.

"Were you seen by anyone, even the other elves?" Harry asked.

"Almost, but Dobby left first," Dobby said, looking proud of his accomplishment.

"I'm sorry you had to take that risk, but thank you, my little friend," Harry told him with a pat on the shoulder which made Dobby beam. Looking at his watch, one that was entirely mechanical, Harry noticed it was almost time. "Go to Fleur and tell her that the mission is on and I'm leaving in five minutes.

"One last thing, are you sure you can arrange to contact all the other elves in just a few minutes to tell them it's time to go?" This was the part that worried Harry the most.

Dobby nodded vigorously. "Yes, Dobby is sure. Dobby will talk to Hogwarts elves and have them help before joining Master's mate at the end."

Harry turned a little red at the last part but had to smile. "Very good, although don't call Fleur that where she can hear it. Go tell her my message and follow her directions."

The elf left with a pop.

"Your mate?" one of the sergeants said with a grin.

Harry blushed a little more. "Not officially, but I'm thinking about asking her soon. That's a secret, by the way."

"Yes, sir," the man said with a grin before he added, "and good choice sir. I've heard a few stories about the Veela."

"Most of them probably aren't true," Harry said a little defensively. "However, Fleur and her family are very good people, the sort you want to have as family because they'll stand with you."

As another man opened his mouth to say something, the captain quickly spoke up. "Corporal, knowing you, I don't think I want to hear it and I'm sure the Lieutenant doesn't either."

"Yes, sir," the man said quickly, although he didn't bother to hide his grin.

Harry washed the last of his food down and stood. "Gentlemen, I wish you luck."

"We have your back, sir," the captain told him. "Don't forget the countdown phrase; you've got two minutes after that to complete your task and there is no abort once that's started."

Harry nodded. He knew all of this, but somehow hearing it in this setting made it more real.

The corporal at the radio handed Harry his modified flying goggles.

After donning them, Harry walked ten feet away and spoke into a small attached microphone, "Radio check for Bolt."

"_Lightning reads you loud and clear. How is your receiver?_" a voice spoke quietly from the little earpiece in his goggles.

"I can hear you in my earpiece. I'll see all of you at the end." Harry answered. The two sergeants gave him a nod as they picked up their very long sniper rifles and started climbing their trees. The corporals followed a moment later since they would be the snipers' spotters. The captain walked over to the radio to man it.

Harry turned and began his half mile trek down the small hill they were on and towards the spot where he would literally begin a new era in history. He hoped deep down that this turned out as well as planned. A lot of people were going to be angry at him, but he generally didn't care. The vast majority of the wizards and witches had simply failed to do what was needed, so he would do this to reform the country. Also, this was war and non-combatants were something hurt; with this action, at least they wouldn't die. The fact that this action fit the prophecy that Dumbledore had told him was just a coincidence as far as he was concerned. He'd already decided months ago that he didn't believe in prophecies.

At five minutes before the hour, Harry arrived at the correct spot, seeing the stick he'd placed there three days ago when he'd surveyed this area and verified their calculations.

"Last radio check for Bolt," he said softly.

"_Lightning says radio check good_," came the reply from the receiver in his goggles.

"Start the ten minute counter," he ordered.

"_Ten minute counter, affirmative_." There was a slight pause before Harry heard, "_Lightning calling Storm. Mission is still go and Bolt has ordered ten minute counter. Over._"

"_Storm acknowledges ten minute counter. Good luck. Over._"

With a small shovel, Harry dug a hole a foot deep in the soft earth and placed the last runic marker, packing it well so it made good contact with the earth. Unlike the others that were completely buried to hide them, the top of this one was left visible so he could activate it. Very carefully, he cast the charging spell at it.

— — —

Dobby popped into the lobby of Gringotts right next to Griphook, startling the goblin. "I is Dobby and belong to Master Harry," he said as ordered as he handed a scrap of parchment to the goblin, which was taken with a clawed hand. "Master says ten minutes starts now and you need to flee."

As the elf popped away, Griphook looked at the parchment scrap and saw, "_Flee! - Harry Potter_" written. Praying to his diety that this didn't cost him his head, Griphook took two steps and lifted a panel lid before he pressed the big red crystal underneath.

A very special gong sounded throughout the bank. Without hesitation, security guards began pushing customers out of the bank at spear point without answering any questions being asked.

The few customers who were at their vaults were shocked to have their goblin guide pull them out of their vault, slam the door closed, thrust a medallion at them, and then feel the most horrible spinning sensation they'd ever felt before finding themselves on the steps of Gringotts outside the bank. As they were about to ask what was going on, one last couple was pushed out of the bank and the doors were slammed shut before they disappeared into the wall, with no trace or outline of the former doors.

Also in the vaults, Bill Weasley looked around in shock as he heard the emergency gong go off. He was even more surprised when the two goblins with him grabbed an arm each and pulled him to the cart they had and it raced away.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" the curse breaker asked.

"Come with us or suffer," one said.

"What does that mean?"

"It means what he said," replied the other goblin, Sparnak. "We were told that if it went off and you were with us to bring you along while we evacuated, unless you wanted to stay behind."

"Why?" Bill thought he knew Sparnak fairly well, at least for a goblin, so this was strange.

"We've told you all we know," Sparnak said as the cart decelerated quickly at a platform in the lower caverns, where many other goblins were running to.

The two goblins jumped out of the cart and ran with the others, leaving Bill behind to decide on his own. No other goblin was sparing him more than a glance. Deciding there must be some reason for this odd behavior, he got out of the cart and followed them with long strides.

As he went through the doorway, a small goblin shouted at him. "Red haired wizard, over here."

Bill managed to make his way over, helped greatly by his size compared to the goblins. When he made it over, he noticed that the goblins were grabbing things and disappearing. Before he could stop it, the goblin touched a stick to him and he was jerked through the ether in a horribly dizzying manner.

Landing, he realized the stick had been a Goblin Portkey. "Sit and stay," the goblin said, pointing at a small set of chairs.

"Why?" Bill asked.

The goblin smiled with sharp pointy teeth. "She said it was a gift to you. Be glad you have such a good friend." Griphook walked away leaving a very perplexed wizard behind.

— — —

Ginny was walking to dinner with Katie Bell. "Who's going to be Quidditch Captain next year?"

"Don't know," Katie told her while shaking her head. "It should be Harry, but…"

"Yeah, I know."

"Do you want it?" Katie asked. "I can tell McGonagall to give you the edge in being picked."

"Maybe, although I think Ron would throw a fit. He's always wanted that and it will be his last year," Ginny told her.

"Think about it and tell me before we leave next week."

"Sure," Ginny told her as they split to take a seat for dinner with their friends. "Neville."

"Ginny," the boy returned, already with a full plate.

As Ginny started to fill her plate, she heard a pop behind her and turned, hoping she wasn't going to have to dive out of the way of a spell, assuming it wasn't already too late. Instead of a spell coming at her, she found a house-elf.

"Master and Mistress says run." Dobby handed her a piece of parchment.

Knowing what this had to be, she said as quickly as she could, "Will you please go tell my brothers Fred and George in Diagon Alley the same message?"

"It is important?" the elf asked.

"Very important," Ginny told him as sincerely as possible.

"Very well, Dobby must hurry then." He left with a sharp pop.

With trembling fingers, Ginny opened the note and read it quickly as Neville and several others looked at her with great curiosity. Feeling weak but knowing there was no time for being a damsel in distress, Ginny shoved the note in her pocket and grabbed Neville's hand, jerking him to his feet with her. "We have to go now!" She ignored his startled cry.

"Katie, I saw a Snorkack!" Looking to the Ravenclaw table, she was horrified to not find Luna until she looked to the doorway and saw her blonde friend saunter in. With another jerk on Neville's hand, she started running as fast as she could while pulling him after her. "I saw Snorkacks, Luna. Run with us after them."

"Really? Yes, let's go find them." Luna was jerked along by Neville grabbing her hand as they went by, with Katie running in the last position.

As they left the Entrance Hall, they passed Ron and Hermione. "What's wrong?" Hermione shouted after her friends but didn't receive any answer.

"That was certainly strange," Hermione commented, very puzzled.

"That's Ginny sometimes," Ron said with a shrug as they walked into the Great Hall to find many people laughing and several of the teachers looking very puzzled.

"Slow, down," Neville puffed as Ginny pulled them up the stairs of a secret passageway.

"Can't, no time," she wheezed back and let go of Neville's hand so she could run more easily.

When they reached the place where they'd held the DA meetings last year, Ginny finally stopped and pulled the paper back out of her pocket to read it again. While she walked back and forth, the others arrived and leaned over, putting their hands on their knees, taking great gulps of air.

A door appeared to her great relief and Ginny wrenched it open. "Hurry!" she urged them inside. They all stopped inside the door and looked in amazement as a smaller room of transparent amber crystal was forming inside a bigger room. With effort, Ginny tore her gaze away knowing the clock was ticking and she could gawk later. Picking up the bar next to the door, she dropped it into place, shutting the four of them in.

"Hurry," she urged them again. "Inside the room. You can look around later." When they didn't move, she pushed through them and walked in. They followed her a moment later as lights appeared from the ceiling followed by several shelves with trays of green stuff. Finally, a large timer appeared next to the door along with a very pointed hammer and a note. The crystal wall nearest the door formed and sealed the little room as a bright and slowly pulsing red stone the size of a desk appeared on the other side of the back wall, also in a chamber like theirs.

Ginny slid down the wall in relief as Neville turned to her and asked, "What the hell is going on?"

— — —

Looking at his watch again, he noted it was a couple of minutes after six o'clock and time to start. In fact, everyone would probably have an extra minute or so, he thought as he attached the safety cord to his wand and made sure his broom was on a safety cord attached to his belt for quick access.

"All is in place and I'm starting."

"_Roger, we're ready here. Good luck, Lieutenant_," was transmitted to him.

Harry smiled at their honorary rank for him as he lifted his wand. "_Sonorous_, Voldemort! The one who got away is here for you. Come out and let's end this. If you ask nicely maybe I'll even tell you the prophecy. _Quietus_." To help himself out, he cast a spell to raise a waist-high and six-foot long wall that looked like a rock from the dirt in front of him so he had protection at the end. He also charmed his clothes all black in case Riddle might recognize his clothes as being Army issue.

When no one showed after a few more seconds, he cast a Blasting Curse at the house. Sure he was a couple hundred yards away, but the house wasn't moving either. A few seconds later, his curse hit a window and broke it, and probably a wall beyond although he couldn't see it from here. Harry was surprised there wasn't a ward or something to block his spell. Perhaps Malfoy was merely arrogant and thought he didn't need something like that, he considered.

A few seconds later, an Apparation crack sounded and there stood a single woman.

"Bella!" Harry said with a smile. "It's my lucky day because I get to personally see you die for what you did to Sirius."

The woman laughed at him. "You're still a child and not even worth my master's time."

"I believe he'll think differently in a moment. In the meantime, Bella, you can go to hell." He smiled as he used his prearranged phrase for someone whom he needed out of the way. Although he never heard the rifle fire, a second later he saw "stuff" explode out the back of Bella's head from the sniper fire at the same time as he heard the whizzing sound of the bullet.

"Thank you, whoever did that," he said quietly.

"_We said we have your back_," came through his earpiece.

"Time to try again. _Sonorous_. Voldemort, come out and play because Bella is dead, or do you not want to know the prophecy?" Harry taunted him. "_Quietus_."

A moment later, there was a larger crack and two men stood about thirty yards in front of him.

"Snape, what a joy. Bella's dead and now you can be too, unless you really do work for Dumbledore." Harry enjoyed the man's quick look between him and the Dark Lord as he taunted his old professor. "You can think of this as payback for all the times you were a bastard to me. What are you going to do? Are you going to show that you're really a Death Eater and try to curse me? Or are you going to do what Dumbledore wants and send a curse at that the madman beside you? Decisions, decisions.

"And Voldemort, it's lovely to see you. How have you been?" Harry purposefully used the "thing's" moniker to keep the situation a little calmer.

"_Final countdown started_," he heard whispered in his ear because of that phrase. "S_torm, Bolt and Lightning say bring the thunder. Over._"

"Potter, I didn't think you cared anymore with the way you ran off," the Dark Lord said conversationally.

"_Lightning, Storm acknowledges thunder in two minutes from now. Over_," whispered in his ear.

"Generally, I really don't," Harry told him casually. "However, what I do care about is that you're violating the Statute of Secrecy. You don't seem to care about it and I think that if you keep on showing off magic to the Muggles that one day they will rise up and slaughter us all, and I don't like that thought."

Voldemort looked at him for a moment before he laughed. "Do you really think they can defeat us, Potter? We can control them."

"I think they probably can. But even if you're right that they can't, then I believe they will do the next best thing and destroy the world so we go down with them. I don't know about you, but I don't like that idea either," Harry told him conversationally, trying to keep him talking.

The idea was to start the reaction only a few seconds before the timer ended. If by some strange fate the prophecy really was true, Harry hoped he and "the Dark Lord" really were equals … in monologuing.

"_Ninety seconds_," came the whisper in his ear.

"And people call me dark," Voldemort quipped. "I offered you a place in my group before. I'll make the offer one last time. If you don't take it, I'll have to kill you."

Harry chuckled. "I have two problems with that. First, I don't know what you have to offer me that would make me accept, but you're free to tell me. Second, if you believe in the prophecy, you really don't want to kill me. By the way, did you ever hear the full prophecy?"

Voldemort looked irritated for a moment. "No, I haven't heard it. Would you care to share?"

"Certainly, although would you mind sharing how you heard the part that you did?" Harry replied back, noticing that Snape suddenly seemed a little nervous.

"_Sixty seconds_," came the whisper again.

"You first, Potter, then I'll answer your question."

"As you wish." Harry quoted the full prophecy slowly and dramatically as it was good for another twenty-five seconds.

While Voldemort thought about it, Harry heard the captain, "_Thirty seconds_."

"I don't believe that's the real prophecy," Riddle told him.

"That really is it. So who told you the first part?" Harry asked, not really expecting an answer.

To his surprise, Voldemort actually smiled and answered. "The man who's about to kill you, do it Snape."

As Snape raised his wand towards Harry, Harry had to say, "You really are a bastard to be the cause of my father and mother's death as well as pick on me as a teacher."

"_Twenty seconds_."

"It doesn't matter anymore," Snape sneered as he silently cast a spell.

Harry couldn't tell what it was, but they were just far enough away it was easy to dodge the single spell so he leaned to the side and let it whiz by as he heard, "_Ten seconds_." He cast three quick Blasting curses, two at Snape that were easily blocked and one at the ground in the middle, kicking up a lot of dust into the air between them.

Voldemort sent a Killing Curse back at him at the same time Snape did.

Fortunately, they had only taken one step towards him so they were still far enough away that he had time to move. He dove out of the way as he considered that his time was about up. As if in answer, he heard the voice in his earpiece say, "_Five_…" Harry cast the spell to trigger the chain reaction for all the runic markers as the wall in front of him rocked with a loud noise and the concussion knocked him back, causing him to have to scramble forward on his hands and knees while slightly woozy. He made sure he was facing east and was parallel to the rock wall.

He thought something had failed when he heard, "_Two_," and he was still there. Suddenly, he was flung forward hard and he heard a loud pop as his receiver went dead. However, that was the least of his worries as he noticed the trees coming up fast and he wasn't high enough nor was there time to put his broom into service.

Thinking fast, he cast a Levitation charm on himself and flicked his wand upward, which was enough to move him up so he skimmed the tops of the trees, hitting the leaves and small branches of only the taller ones. To give himself more height, he now grabbed his broom dangling from his waist and cancelled the shrinking charm on it. Getting it under him, he rose a little higher for safety and made himself comfortable. He thought the wave of magic was pushing him faster than his Firebolt was capable of, which was really cool. Fortunately, the broom allowed him to control his height which was what he needed. He made himself as comfortable as he could and enjoyed the journey of riding the wave of magic which should last about an hour.

A roar overtook him from behind, causing him to look over his shoulder. There was a "column" of dirt and smoke rising into the air behind him.

He was glad he'd left before the two bombs had struck. They were yet another backup plan for killing Voldemort, in case the magic removal ritual didn't kill him. Exactly where or how the ICW had acquired the older devices was something he didn't want to know, but he was told they would be Portkeyed a mile into the air over Malfoy Manor so they wouldn't be detected and allowed to fall on their own with a spell to slow them down and control when they hit.

The explosion was timed to his ritual. The explanation for the Muggles would be that a meteor had hit and caused the crater. It would also be blamed for any other effects that his ritual caused. Captain Hammerstein was also supposed to go plant a small meteorite rock in the crater as soon as he could to help the story.

Yet another backup plan was the sergeants and their sniper rifles. If all of that didn't kill Voldemort, then perhaps he was truly immortal, but Harry didn't think so. A quickly applied Disillusionment spell helped to hide him as he saw a small town in front of him in the distance.

— — —

At the moment the bombs destroyed Malfoy Manor, Neville turned to Ginny with a demanding look as she slumped down the wall in relief and he asked, "What the hell is going on?"

Ginny was torn and wasn't sure what to say.

"I think we deserve an answer as to why you started yelling your 'emergency phrase' and made us run through the castle to this," Neville wave his hands around, "bizarre room."

"Neville," Katie called and put a hand on his arm. "Give her a chance to answer."

"Wait," Luna said, looking displeased. "You mean that really was the emergency phrase and you really didn't see any Snorkacks?"

Ginny rubbed both of her temples, mostly in an effort to cover her face. "Yes, I used the emergency phrase I told you about because it was a very real emergency."

"I saw a house-elf appear behind you, what was that about?" Katie asked to start the ball rolling and to prevent Neville from going off again since he still looked upset.

"Everyone sit, we're going to be here for the next three hours." When Katie pulled her wand out, Ginny said quickly, "No, I don't think we should use magic in here; just sit and try to be calm."

"Why?" Neville asked a little more calmly, but not by much as he sat against a wall like Ginny did.

"Harry told me that he would be returning soon and he was going to fix things, with a little luck." She pulled the crumpled note out of her pocket and smoothed it. "The elf was Dobby and he now looks to Harry as his master, or at least I think he does based on what he said. Anyway, he gave me this note."

_Ginny,_

_To save yourself, Neville, Luna, Katie, run to the Room of Requirement. Ask for a room that will hold magic in and keep you alive for the next three hours while magic leaves Britain. When you come out, the magic should have returned. If you are not in in that room or out of Britain in 10 minutes, then you'll lose your magic too. We're reforming Britain._

_Harry & Fleur_

When Ginny finished reading the note out loud, there was complete silence for a long moment.

"You know," Luna said, surprising everyone by speaking first and making them look at her, "this answers the question if Hogwarts is alive and intelligent, at least a little. I wonder what I'll win from the Ravenclaws, since this has been a very long-standing debate."

"Ignoring the debate, what do you mean?" Katie asked, looking as perplexed as the other two felt.

"She would have to be to be able to read your mind to create rooms that meet your needs, but the real proof is taking what Ginny said in that note and realizing that she also needed to protect herself." Luna pointed to the slowly pulsing rock in the next chamber of crystal. "That must be Hogwarts foundational rune stone or heart stone. It must direct everything else. It's hard to see, but it looks like the Sorting Hat is on top of it too."

"I think she's right about the Hat. I didn't see it at first," Neville said as he squinted at the other chamber.

"There might be a ghost in there as well. I hope it's the Grey Lady," Luna told them.

"What are in the trays on the shelves?" Katie asked. "It looks like the light is for them and not for us."

"I'm almost sure it's algae," Neville told them. "There are no magical properties for it that I'm aware of, but it's basically a plant that can form in stagnant water and some magical plants grow better with it near. It can also grow very quickly. I'm not sure why it's there."

"Back to the note," Katie said. "What did he mean by keeping the magic in here and magic leaving Britain? And how is that supposed to fix things?"

Ginny pulled some hair out of her eyes as she looked at the others. "This is a guess, but I think it sounds like Harry's doing something that will temporarily remove all the magic from our country. He's told me that he will get rid of V-Voldemort although he's never said how before. If he got rid of all the magic, my guess is that he thinks it would reduce everyone's magic who was out there, which is why we need to keep magic in here and not use it."

"So we stay normal by being in here," Katie breathed with shock.

"It makes perfect sense," Luna agreed casually.

"But why do that to everyone else?" Neville asked in his own shock. "Will it only magically exhaust them for a while, make them like Squibs, or kill them? I've always heard you had to have magic to live."

"It probably depends on how long the magic is gone. I'm sure we could work up an Arithmantic equation for it if we knew what spell he was using, or more likely a rune based ritual," Luna said confidently.

"Does he really hate everyone else that much?" Katie asked quietly. "I can't decide whether to be glad that I'm his friend and consider myself very lucky to be in here or whether to be angry at him for what he's doing to my family out there."

"Wow, I hadn't thought about that yet," Neville admitted warily as if it was too much at the moment.

"Fortunately, my father is out of the country at the moment. I wonder if that's a coincidence," Luna wondered.

"You'd have to ask Harry to be sure, but I don't believe he hates everyone else," Ginny said as she shifted to become a little more comfortable on the hard floor. "From what I've been able to get out of him, it's that he doesn't care what happens to them. I think he'd say something like, 'They turned their back on me so why should I care about them'."

"Still, this seems very extreme," Katie pointed out.

"Maybe, but he could have done a lot worse. There are some things you don't want in your brain," Luna shuddered. "He'll also be able to topple the Ministry this way and he won't need Helopaths to help him."

"What do you mean?" Neville asked. "About the toppling the Ministry," he added quickly.

"Helopaths are very powerful, but if the Ministry has no magic, Harry won't need that help as the people at the Ministry can't fight back, can they?" Luna replied.

"Bloody hell! Talk about reforming Britain!" Neville slumped as the enormity of what Harry was doing hit him.

"How do you know all of this, Ginny?" Katie asked her. "Harry and I wrote about a number of things, but it sounds like you've discussed a lot more with him."

Ginny blushed, especially when Neville and Luna started staring at her too. "We have exchanged a number of long letters," she hedged.

Neville's brow suddenly furrowed as he looked intently at her. "Wait, there's more to this, isn't there? You haven't really dated anyone this year despite the fact that I know at least two boys asked you. And combine it with the rumor about you being sent a massive care package from some boyfriend – which you didn't deny..."

"You always did think Harry was dreamy," Luna added, earning a scowl from Ginny.

"And Harry is the heir of a Noble house…" Neville continued.

"But the letter was signed by Fleur too," Katie said, "and Harry has told me that he considers Fleur his girlfriend."

"Wait." Neville looked at Ginny harder. "Is Harry the heir of another Noble house besides Potter? If he was, that would explain it."

"What are you talking about?" Katie asked, thoroughly confused.

"The laws are written," Luna explained, "such that if a man is over multiple Ancient and Noble houses that he can have one wife for each house so the lines may continue. Sirius Black was Harry's godfather." She left the implied question hanging in the air.

Ginny realized she'd been boxed in and had little choice but to answer. Her friends deserved that. "Yes, Harry is also the heir of the Ancient and Noble House of Black."

All were silent for a moment until Katie asked, "Would you really do that? You know, share Harry? I don't know that I could share my husband."

"I think it could work with someone like Harry," Luna said, although they were all looking at Ginny now.

Ginny played with a hem of her blouse for a moment. "Fleur made me the offer to become Lady Potter while she took the title of Lady Black. It's why I haven't really dated anyone else this year and I'm still struggling with the question of what to do. Not only that, but she's a Veela. How am I supposed to compete with her? She's practically perfect." She ended with a hint of frustration.

"You do realize that you can probably have almost anyone you want now; in fact, that'll be true for all of us," Luna told them all.

"What do you mean?" Ginny wondered if this would help her answer the question.

"If everyone else turns into a Squib or almost one, then as a powerful witch you'll be very desirable as a wife," Luna replied as if it should have been obvious.

"She has a point," Neville agreed reluctantly. "It also means that a lot of the older families will be searching for a spouse on the continent and there will be a lot of gold changing hands for that."

"But it doesn't have to mean that," Katie argued. "Just because both parents are low in magic doesn't mean the children will be."

"You're right," Neville agreed, "but I don't think the old families will want to take that chance." He looked back at Ginny. "So what are you going to do?"

"Still don't know, but I have that long," Ginny pointed at the large hourglass-shaped timer with most of the sand in the top, "to figure it out."

"Ginny," Katie said gently, "I think you have longer than that. You've still got two more years of school. Surely Harry would wait that long."

"He probably would wait that long for me to join him," Ginny nodded, "but would he wait that long for me to state my intentions? Also, if the four of us are the only ones with magic, I don't think Hogwarts will be much of a school. I might as well go somewhere else and Harry has said that Fleur has been a good teacher. Err," she growled. "This is so complicated."

"I think the changes we've mentioned are just the beginning of what will happen," Neville said sagely. "I guess we'll find out when…"

They all suddenly heard a loud noise and could see many objects suddenly appear outside the semi-transparent crystal. A bright flash of light and what sounded like an unearthly scream rent their silence for a brief moment.

"What the hell?" Neville asked for them all.

"I don't know what the scream was for, but I'd say that whatever is out there now is the normal way this room is. Whatever Harry did has reached us," Luna told them and no one argued.

Looking at the note the room had provided, she saw she was to break the crystal with the hammer when the timer ran out, to the outside first and then to the other chamber. A closer inspection showed a small "X" etched in the crystal on each wall. She hoped they survived that long and looked back at the timer again, unsure if she wanted it to go faster or slower.

— — —

Harry saw the eastern coast of the island come into view and he couldn't help but smile. It had been a wild ride, yet that had made it a lot of fun flying that fast.

As his broom flew out over the water, he felt like he was flung much harder than during the test in Greece. With some effort, he avoided falling into the sea and continued flying towards the large dot on the horizon almost in front of him.

About five minutes later, he landed on the deck of the ICW ship and Fleur flung her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "You're safe…" she breathed into his ear with so much emotion her voice broke.

He dropped his broom and hugged her back. "I told you I'd come back to you." Harry noticed others, including Herr Braun standing, waiting on him.

"Captain Hammerstein said you were taken away, but they said you almost didn't leave in time." Her hands were roaming over his head and back as if to assure herself that he was really back and in one piece.

"It took a little longer to engage than in the tests, I guess because Britain is bigger than the test island," he told her. "Otherwise, it wasn't all that bad. Let's go over to the others, I'm sure they also want to hear what happened."

Fleur slowly released her hug, but she kept one arm around his waist and walked closely next to him.

Harry greeted the others and told them what happened from his point of view.

"Yes, much of that was relayed to us by Captain Hammerstein on his spare radio afterward," Herr Braun told him. "The captain also said the snipers hit the Dark Lord just as he started to 'fall apart', then the bombs landed. Afterward, the captain reported that his team was able to only find traces of the two men and that they removed all items of clothing and the few body parts they could identify. Any blood the Muggle authorities find should be attributed to animals being caught in the blast. He also put the meteorite rock we found from another location there to help the cover story."

"That's good," Harry agreed.

"As soon as it's safe, a team of wizards will go to the site and make sure all blood and any other evidence of the two men is gone. Regarding the house," Braun shrugged, "if we get there first and can Vanish the debris then we will. If we can't, then we'll try to convince the Muggles to alter the records to show a house was there and claim it was abandoned."

"Makes sense," Harry nodded.

"I've also received one report about a known Death Eater in London who we were watching. He has died and I expect that will be true for all of them. So this has cleaned up the terrorist problem and the major breach of the Statute of Secrecy," Braun reported with a smile.

A man came out of the cabin used for the project and handed Braun a note. After he read it, he smiled again. "Our team responsible for checking Azkaban reports that all the Dementors are dead and the few Death Eaters that were there are also dead."

"Very good, I hate the Dementors," Harry told him. "Let's go inside and we can listen to the reports there. I'd also like something to drink as I'm very thirsty."

— — —

In several places around the country, including in front of a somewhat shady looking pub in London, Squibs from the ICW drove up in a large truck and unloaded some materials. It didn't take long for them to erect a privacy screen to block the sight of viewers. Signs on the outside proclaimed "Under Construction".

It stayed that way for a little over an hour. A man appeared suddenly and after a quiet conversation with the foreman, the construction screening was removed and the truck drove away.

Anyone who looked before and after the events saw nothing appeared to be different … as was intended.

— — —

Around the country, especially in the more remote parts, a few people were in the right place at the right time to see a large manor looking house where they couldn't remember there being one before. However, by the time they could investigate, the house had disappeared and they forgot what they were about to look for.

— — —

Emergency workers were very surprised by the sudden influx of people that were being sent to hospitals. It was quickly noticed that the only commonalities were: the people seemed to have fallen unconscious on their own, their vitals were reasonably normal, they had no normal identification on them, and most of them were dressed a little funny as if they were in costume for some play.

It was only later noticed that the people seemed to wake up on their own and then demand to be let go, walking away without waiting for anyone to come get them, and most didn't give a name. The few that gave a name were not found in any registry.

— — —

Bill Weasley took another dizzying ride via a Goblin Portkey and ended up in the lobby of Gringotts with Griphook as his guide again. There were two other wizards present, who had joined him moments after the evacuation. After a few minutes, the main doors to Diagon Alley opened, the guards took their usual places, and business resumed as usual.

"You have the rest of the weekend off. Report to work again on Monday morning," Griphook told the three wizards before he left them.

Looking at the other two, Bill asked, "Do either of you know what's going on?" Receiving a "no" from each, Bill left the bank.

Walking around the alley showed him that all of the windows were broken. Also, all the signs that he could remember as moving in some way were still. The few shop owners he saw looked very pale and some of those were leaning against a wall and looking at the devastation in their store in disbelief. One man was even openly sobbing, sitting on the ground with his wand dangling limply in his hand. Another man was swearing as he tried over and over to cast a spell and nothing happened.

Remembering his brothers, he turned and walked to their store. When he saw it, he stopped in shock. Their magical sign was as still as everyone else's, but their windows were whole and he could see five people inside moving around hurriedly with purpose.

Standing at the door, he could see the twins, their girlfriends, and Lee all restocking their shelves using much wand-waving.

Bill hurried into the store and suddenly found two wands in his face until Fred and George realized who it was and relaxed. "What the hell is going on?"

"We're repairing the damage and putting everything back."

"Yeah, what does it look like we're doing?" the other twin quipped.

"Do you know what's going on?" Bill asked very demandingly. "I was forced to use a Goblin Portkey and taken away somewhere for the last hour and was only now allowed to return."

"We haven't been back long either," George told him.

"But what happened?" Bill stared at both as if trying to force an answer, however the twins looked at one another for a moment.

"Honestly, we can't really answer that as we don't have the information; however, my guess is that the world's biggest prank has been played on Britain," George told him.

"You were out of the country?" Fred asked him.

"Yeah, so?" Bill asked a little belligerently.

"Be very, very, _very_ glad," Fred told him in his most serious manner yet. "We took all of our merchandise here in the main part of the store, but the stuff that was left in the back is totally ruined. It's not magical any more. I'd hate to think what that did to any wizards that were here."

"You mean that store owner I saw trying to cast a spell and it not working was not him just trying something unusual, but he really couldn't do the spell?" Bill asked as he started to realize what might have happened yet hoped his guess was wrong.

"Probably so," George confirmed as he emptied another box of joke products onto the shelf in front of him.

"But, how?" Billed asked aghast as he looked out the window and looked at the chaos and destruction again, guessing that all the magic that had squeezed the small area that really had been only a little alley many years ago had been momentarily suppressed, or at least he thought that would have caused damage like this.

"I have a much better guess about that, but I think we need to keep that to ourselves for now."

"Yes, dear brother," George agreed, "I think we shall, although I believe the truth will come out soon anyway."

"What do you know?" Bill demanded angrily.

"Know?" George ignored the demand and sounded amused. "We don't _know_ anything, our older brother. But I…"

"We!"

"Yes, _we_ believe that the entire Death Eater problem is now gone. There's no more reason for the Order of the Phoenix, not that it matters to us since we resigned from it months ago."

"Now if you'll excuse us," Fred told him as he Vanished the last empty box in front of him, "we need to fix our sign and reopen for business."

George shook his head. "Although I do wonder if anyone will come see us for the next few days."

Shaking his head, Bill left them and hurried towards the Apparation point so he could check on his parents at home.

Bill landed outside his parents' newly rebuilt home, surprised the wards had let him land so close. He was more surprised by the damage to the new house; the top floor had fallen over and the bottom two floors didn't look too stable.

"Mum! Dad!" he yelled as he drew his wand and hurried into the house, hoping they were alive and not buried in rubble.

In the kitchen, he found his father kneeling over his mother and several boards that looked like they had been thrown to the side.

"Dad!"

"Bill, are you injured from all this?" his father asked tiredly and somewhat distracted with worry.

"No Dad. The goblins took me with them out of the country. It was like they knew this was coming."

Arthur Weasley sighed as he continued to slowly wipe the face of his wife with a damp cloth. "Perhaps they did. Can you still do spells? I can't do more than a Lighting spell and a weak Levitation spell. She's breathing but I can't tell what's wrong."

"Of course." Bill cast a diagnostic spell hurriedly. "She's not hurt more than some bruises. From the bump on her head, I assume the boards fell on her?"

"Yes, I had to pull them off."

"Let me wake her and then we should leave the house. It doesn't look too stable from the outside." With a wave of his wand for a silent Ennervate, his mother fluttered her eyes.

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure," her husband replied. "I seem to have passed out while I was in the shed. When I woke, I came in here and found you out as well. I think the boards fell on you." He looked at his son.

"I'm not really sure either," Bill said, looking as uncertain as his words, "but I stopped by the twin's shop on the way here and they're doing well. They also hinted that they thought magic had been removed for a short time and it looks like they might be right."

Molly gasped. "Ron and Ginny!"

Arthur understood her concern. "We can check on them soon. We need to get out of here for the moment as Bill says the house is unstable. After we check on a few things, Bill can take you to the school."

"But Arthur…"

"No, Molly," he stopped her, knowing what she was really asking. "I can't take you as I feel as if I've lost much of my magic and I would wager that you have as well. We're fortunate that Bill wasn't affected, we can only hope that the rest our children are unaffected as well."

"The twins weren't affected either," Bill told them.

"Then we're very fortunate," the father said as he shook his head and seemed to become more normal. "Come my dear. Let's get you out and then Bill and I can check the house and do what we can to have a place to sleep tonight."

They took Molly to a bench in the back garden to rest and recover some more while Bill and Arthur investigated the house.

Bill levitated the damaged upper story off of the remaining part of the house in sections as large as possible. Several transfigurations repaired other parts and shored up the walls. Arthur checked the Floo and found it in the strange state where it responded to Floo Powder, but wouldn't call anywhere nor take him anywhere.

They went up the stairs and found the first floor stable enough for now. As quickly as he could and with help from his father, Bill put a roof over the house from the materials on the ground. It wasn't a long term solution, but it would hold for now.

"If you're ready, Mum?" Bill asked when the basic repairs were finished an hour and a half later.

"Are you sure, Arthur?"

"I'm sure, Molly. Go ahead and check on the children. I'll stay here and do my best to put a few more things in order. Bill?" Arthur looked at his oldest.

"Of course I'll return and stay here to help as long as you need me," Bill promised.

"Thank you." He looked at his wife. "I know you'll want to bring both children here immediately, but do consider all the options, dear. Bringing them home will be difficult and they might be better off staying at school for a few days."

Molly looked troubled by that, but she finally nodded before she kissed her husband on the cheek and then gripped her son's arm and he Apparated them away.

The two Weasleys landed at the gates to the school and found a squad of four wizards with a white oval patch on their breast with the letters "ICW" on it in blue. Bill instantly understood - the ICW had finally intervened, as Dumbledore had talked about in one of the Order meetings.

"The school is under protection," the leader of the squad said. "What is your business here?"

"I have children here. I want to know they're safe," Molly spoke up boldly.

"Your names and their names?"

"I'm Molly Weasley and this is my son, Bill. I demand to see my children!"

"Their names please?" the leader asked again patiently.

"Ron and Ginny Weasley," Bill supplied to avoid an argument from his mother.

One of the guards looked through a book. "The two children are here and it lists Molly Weasley for a parent. Bill Weasley isn't."

The leader looked at them for a moment and then at Bill only. "Will you please tell me how you were able to Apparate here?"

"I work for Gringotts and was out of the country when everything happened," Bill answered, going for the truth since he could tell that the other three ICW guards were watching him and two had their wands out and by their side while his was in his wand holster.

"Yes, that would explain it," the leader answered with a nod. "I think we can let it slide. You both may enter; however, please exit here later."

"Thank you," Molly said with relief and hurried in with Bill following and having to take long strides to keep up with his mother.

By the time they neared the castle, they could see many of the students outside the front door. Of the few professors that were seen, Molly quickly found Minerva McGonagall and made a beeline for her.

"Molly? I'm surprised to see you here," McGonagall told in greeting and looking flustered. "I'd expected parents eventually, but not this soon. My apologies, Bill, but good evening as well."

"Professor," he intoned with a nod as he looked around for his siblings as his mother was.

"Oh, there's Ron, but where's Ginny?" Molly asked as she continued to look around.

McGonagall's flustered look took on a hint of embarrassment. "I'm afraid she's one of four students, a group of friends really, unaccounted for." At Molly's upset looks, the professor hurried on, "Most of the professors are searching for them while they're also inspecting the castle."

"The castle was damaged too?" Bill asked. At her look, he explained, "The Burrow was damaged, as were almost every store in Diagon Alley when I was there. I'm starting to believe almost every magical dwelling was affected when magic was removed for a short time."

The professor gasped. "That's what happened?"

"While I'm not entirely certain, I'm starting to believe that's what happened."

"Professor," Molly interrupted. "Why can't you find Ginny and her friends?"

McGonagall hesitated for a moment. "We all fell unconscious for a time this evening. When we awoke, we immediately did a head count and found all but those four. Also, I'm starting to believe that they had warning of this event. Not ten minutes before it happened, they all ran out of the Great Hall as we were starting dinner. A few students also said that Ginny was visited by a house-elf and given a note. I afraid that's all I know." The older woman did look truly sorry.

Molly was dumb-founded and said nothing in her shock.

Bill was starting to have an idea as to what and how this might have happened and he didn't like the conclusion. On the other hand, if his conclusion was correct, there might be a few good things that came out of this, or so he could hope.

The professor looked around again to keep an eye on the students, but there was little difficulty as most were sitting on the ground and looking quite distraught as they talked softly with friends.

Ron eventually saw his mother and walked over, followed by Hermione a few steps behind. "Mum, can you do magic anymore?"

"I, I haven't tried yet, dear," she said hesitantly as she slowly pulled her wand out. "Your father said he can't do many spells now." With a slightly shaky hand, she flicked her wand and said, "_Lumos!_" A weak light lit at the end of her wand.

"Maybe it's just dim because of the sun?" Hermione suggested hopefully.

McGonagall pursed her lips as she searched for the proper words. "I'm afraid not, Miss Granger. I can only do the most simple of transfigurations now. I can't even change into my Animagus form. The rest of the professors have reported similar results. All of us appear to be magically weaker at the moment."

Hermione looked down. "I was hoping it was only a few of us who were affected."

"I'm afraid not, Hermione," Bill said gently. "The only people I've seen so far who have all of their magic are those who were not in Britain." When she looked up at him intently, he added, "Myself and a couple of other wizard employees in Gringotts, Fred, George, their girlfriends, Lee Jordan, and the ICW guards by the gates."

"We will be having a very different way of life if it stays this way," McGonagall said sagely and sadly.

— — —

All four of them watched the timing glass anxiously, trying to will it to speed up. They'd stopped talking over an hour ago and it was getting stuffy in the crystal room. The algae had grown quite a bit earlier, but wasn't now and the lights over it were dimming. They could also see the Heartstone of Hogwarts blinking slowly a little better in the dimmer light and they could see what looked like several ghosts over there too.

Ginny picked up the hammer and pointed the sharp end at the wall. As the last grains drained, she swung as hard as she could and only managed to knock a small chip out. "Oh bloody hell," she muttered as she sat looking at her attempt to get them out.

"Let me try," Neville said as he stood and walked over. Ginny gave him the hammer and moved back to give him room. Still standing, Neville swung the hammer with both hands and the crystal gained a small crack. With a smile, he swung twice more, breaking a hole the size of his head on the third strike.

Almost immediately, the lights brightened to full strength again.

"It was true," Luna said. "The crystal room kept the magic in." She muttered a Bludgeoning Hex and it blew out a large chunk of the wall, leaving a hole big enough they could crawl through easily.

"Now the other wall, Neville," Ginny told him, starting to feel more at ease.

"I do hope the Grey Lady made it," Luna said as Neville walked to the inner wall and the others moved to give him room.

Before he started, he pulled out his wand and enlarged the handle so it was twice as long. With one swing, he created a hole in the inner wall and the Heartstone immediately brightened and the crystal started melting.

When the crystal disappeared, the Heartstone and Sorting Hat did too, leaving only the four students and four ghosts.

Luna stood and bowed. "Lady Ravenclaw."

The others stood as well. "Sir Nicholas."

Neville greeted the others for the group since they had no representatives. "Friar, Baron."

"Greetings," the Lady Ravenclaw said. "We are all the ghosts that are left, and you are the only students unaffected. Hogwarts thanks you for the warning so she could preserve all of us here and herself. You will always find favor in the school." With a final nod, the four ghosts left.

"Well, I guess we should go find everyone else?" Ginny said.

"And see Harry," Luna added. "I'm sure he'll come this evening."

"Probably," Ginny agreed as she walked towards the door to unbar it. She felt she knew what to do and thought she could live with the decision.

— — —

Harry looked at the clock on the wall, noting it was almost three hours after he had started the war. There was one last task he really needed to do before he went to Hogwarts. He had been putting it off, but he could do that no longer. "Dobby!" he called.

The elf popped in. "Yes, Master Harry?"

With a sigh and hoping for the best, he asked, "Dobby, did all the house-elves make it to safety?"

Dobby tugged at a single ear. "All of the Hogwarts elves did." He looked at his feet and his voice became very quiet. "Only half of the other elves followed Dobby and left. Dobby and the others have been burying the ones who remained since we returned. It is all done now. A few of the Hogwarts elves are leaving the school to have a family."

Harry knelt down and put his hands on the elf's shoulders. "I'm sure you did your best and I'm very grateful for those you did save."

Dobby nodded but still didn't look happy. "We did take all the school owls and as many of the other post owls that we could." The elf started to smile again.

Harry was happy to hear that. Hedwig was safely in France at the Delacours waiting for Dobby to come get her when it was safe.

"You can go tell the other owls to go back to where they belong and take Hedwig to Potter Manor. We should be there in about an hour." Turning to his girlfriend, he asked, "Shall we go?"

"Herr Potter!" lead researcher Hans Braun called and held out a note. "I think you should see this before you go."

Harry read the note and Fleur looked over his shoulder. "Really?"

"Yes, that's what the team at St Mungo's reported," Braun confirmed.

"I'm glad no one died there and that we sent Healers there to help out." Harry looked at Fleur. "Grab my arm."

She smiled at him as she did so, slowly becoming less clingy as the reality of his safe return removed her earlier worry. They Disapparated with a crack to go see his few remaining friends at his old school.

* * *

(A/N: Sorry to end it there, but we've hit the chapter size that I like and the next part would make it far too big if included. Stopping here also gives me a chance to have more fun with the ending. The next chapter is the official end of the story.

This chapter was beta'd by AlekTas; any remaining errors are mine from last minute edits.)


End file.
